I'm not a bakery,,,,,,,

Greetings!

I find myself repeating,,, I'm not a bakery over and over again.  Yet that is what I have become known as in town, "The new bakery", or, "The pie lady".  I set out to open a General Store and as far as I am concerned that is what I am.  I just like to bake so thought it would be neat to offer baked goods from time to time.  For a while the baked goods were every day.  Not something I had planned or wanted to do. But I have to admit, I did enjoy it.  Unfortunately, working that many hours every day has taken its toll on me and worn me down.  So I cut back my baking days to just 3 days a week, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays.

Baking days are very long for me.  I am often in the store by 6am because I want to finish the baking before I open for the day.  It is very difficult to be in the kitchen tending to food and being in the front greeting customers.  Baking days leave me very little time to get anything else done.  Book work, restocking shelves, organizing and cleaning all take a back burner on baking days.  Not that they don't get done at all, they just don't take top priority.

Pies seem to be the top seller.  I wonder if it is the homemade crust or all the special cutting I do to the tops that make them so popular?  I use commercial made fillings but make the crust from scratch.  There is nothing special or unusual about my crust.  It is a basic recipe that is as old as the hills.  But homemade crust will always beat out the frozen, commercially produced crust.  And putting the pies together fresh on baking day sure beats those that take frozen pies and shove them in an oven for an hour.

I keep my prices fair, just $8.00 for a 9 inch pie or $4.00 for a small 5 inch pie.  I don't make a huge profit on anything I sell but I think it is a fair profit.  That is the same for anything I sell in my store.  I don't believe in gouging people just because I am considered a "specialty shop".    I want my customers to come back, and they do!

One of the ways I keep my prices down is by not accepting plastic of any kind.  No credit, debit or Link cards.  The hidden fees in accepting plastic would kill my business or cause me to have to double my prices on most items.  And doubling my prices would also kill my business!!  I believe the reason so many folks come back again and again is they know they are getting a fair price on the products I sell.

Back in the day when General Stores were the norm, especially in small towns, they kept fair prices, treated their customers with a friendly smile and respect.  There was no plastic to pay for things back then, no extra hidden fees they had to pass on to their customers to make ends meet.  I feel when folks come into my store, they sense that same feeling of days gone bye.  It is a relaxed atmosphere and friendly.  It feels like country and it feels like home.

I like selling Amish made and Amish style products.  Most people respect the Amish and conjure visions of long ago when things were simpler in life.  I find personally most Amish products are of better quality and yet reasonably priced.  I have a great deal of respect for the Amish, their beliefs and their lifestyle.  I have studied the Amish for several years and am an avid reader of the blog, AmishAmerica.com  you can find a wealth of information on that site and also be able to separate Amish fact from fiction.

Some of my plans for this year, as time and money allow is to expand the baking if finances allow me to hire someone for the front end while I bake.  I will be making gift baskets, starting with Valentine's day and offering them for special occasions throughout the year.  I want to add in fresh local produce during the season.  I plan on adding a full line of dip and soup mixes as well as other canned goods.  And I want to expand my Watkin's Products line as well.

Yesterday I ordered the baskets and other items needed to start putting together gift baskets.  I can't wait for them to come in!!  I have several ideas for unusual gift baskets and my imagination is running wild with this, so who knows what all I will come up with!!  Most will be ready to buy but the baked baskets will have to be special ordered so items are as fresh as possible.  So if you are tired of the usual heart shaped box of candy or flowers for Valentine's Day, you might want to pop in and see what I have conjured up.  Price ranges will run from $15.00 and up, so there is sure to be something for every budget!  They should be ready by the 1st of February. Money Penny's Soysations who also sell products in my store, are also coming up with some great gift baskets.  I can't wait to see what they have to offer!! 

Don't forget, the General Store has more to offer than baked goods!!  Stop in and see me sometime!!  I am open Tuesday thru Saturday  11am to 6pm, closed Sunday and Mondays.

Until next time,,,,,,,,,,Blessings!