I would shop there, and eat cupcakes and drink coffee there.
I love little cafes like that. In my town a cupcake cafe opened up in early spring, it also holds princess birthday parties for little girls. They have old fashioned candy and egg creams as well. It opened early summer, and it filled a niche the downtown needed. So far it has been successful. The party room has an antique dining table and a crystal chandelier. It's adorable and a welcome addition to our downtown.

I think you may be on to something ttodd!!

With only 3 or 4 tables it may be difficult to sell enough to meet expenses. One of the biggest expenses in my area for a restaurant is licensing but I know that is not true all over. Licensing is a fixed expense and a license that costs say, $10,000 is the same for a small cafe or a big supper club.

If you are baking everything on premise the utility bill is going to be high running all those ovens. Don't forget about insurance, especially liability insurance if someone should slip and fall or claim they broke a tooth eating a muffin. Insurance is a HUGE expense for restaurants.

Since it has a full kitchen I would think about using it to bake and sell to retail establishments and other restaurants. Create a branded product. Have the cafe as a flagship.

In my area there is a locally reknown cheescake shop that is very much like you describe. They only have 3 or 4 tables but have sold their product through other outlets since day one, and recently their cakes are appearing at upscale grocery stores.

Another option that is done with smaller places like this is to offer off premise catering besides having the cafe open. You need to have something else in place that will be generating an income to pay the bills, and truthfully I don't think selling used books will do it. Some smaller places try to give cooking or wine tasting classes to genterate volume but I haven't really seen this to be a succesful endeavor. Having local artist's showings rotated through the cafe (It's free too!) or even local musicians or poetry masters perform can draw people to the location. At least in the beginning you need a "draw" besides cupcakes.

Launching a food outlet that is a 'one trick pony' may fail if you don't have plans to expand your offerings. There may be an initial surge in business making the owners feel like they have 'suceeded' and then it rapidly falls off. Krispy Kream took off like wildfire and then their stocks plummeted. They had to expand their menu beyond doughnuts. (Also note that they sell to grocery stores for resale.) Same with International House of Pancakes who had to rebrand as IHOP and offer more than pancakes on their menu.

Even if you do not intend to get a business loan you may want to contact your local branch of the small business association. They will help you put together a proper business plan where you crunch the numbers to see if your plan is feasible or economically viable. Remember too it is suggested that you have six months of working capital with any new business. You may not get customers in the beginning and there may be unexpected costly repairs. Advertising is a huge expense too. You can't just hang a shingle out and expect people to flock in the door from all over.

The restaurant business is one of the toughest to make it in. Ninety percent fail within the first two years. And about half of those that make it through the first two critical years, fail within the next two years. I'm not trying to discourage you but I dont want to see anyone get in over their head and lose the ranch because of it. Since I work in the restaurant business I have seen many, many with eons of experience in the business, try to strike out on their own with their own place, and fail. Another mistake I've seen made is those without restaurant experience think they can "retire" and run a cafe. They get in over their heads and then realize that a business does not just run itself, and they need to be there well beyond the posted opening and closing times and that dealing with customers and vendors and employees is very, very stressful - not a dream retirement.

Since you have a name picked out in your head do the proper research to make sure it has not been already used so you don't get sued. This is more common than you would assume. Also make sure your name is researched nationally in case you should be come so successful you wish to expand your business.

I wish you the best of good luck and please do keep us posted.

Dilly Dally had great advice. Have you read about all the cupcake bakeries in New York City? They've been really popular there.

If I had one in my town I'd certainly stop in and buy. Combining it with a hard line of products to sell would be an added treat.

Our one bakery closed 2 years ago after being in business for 50 years - they couldn't compete with all the fancy baked goods at Wegmans, Whole Foods etc. nearby. My biggest complaint about the baked goods from those stores is that they look better than they taste. I'm not sure what they're doing wrong but I either bake it myself or go to a quality bakery.

My husband's a chef, and we'd owned a small place until we lost our lease after 9/11. Many people have this dream and I'll tell you--it's a killer. You end up living at the restaurant.

Baking at home and baking for hundreds are light years apart. Most people who start little cafes are under-capitalized, and find themselves struggling to pay their suppliers (These days, you need perfect credit to establish commercial accounts, at least here in Southern California. It may be different where you are.)

Who would be your clientele? Moms with kids don't want to buy expensive gourmet cupcakes. (Since schools have cracked down on sweets/fats/potential allergies, I don't think that selling cupcakes for class parties is a possible money-spinner. I could be wrong.) 3-5 tables filled up with nice ladies have a latte and a cupcake isn't going to keep you afloat, unless you can either make them buy more or turn over the tables really fast.

Catering and wedding cupcakes could be profitable. Are there many wedding consultants who you could hook up with in your locale?

Is the kitchen up to code? Does it have a commercial dishwasher? What would the utilities run?

I know this sounds very negative, but do your research as thoroughly as you can. We made a zillion mistakes, but we learned. (I learned to never do this again. DH, not so much.)

And never, never, never invest your own money.

Cupcake shops here in the DC area are wildly popular. I say go for it! People here are buying them for birthday parties rather than having one cake. People are buying them for weddings. People are buying them for office parties. We teachers are buying them because we NEED primary reinforcers for all those grade-level team meetings we have to attend every week (minimum of two and for me in special ed, three)-not that we have cupcakes every time, but they sure are fun once a month!

Once you do the groundwork and decide you can make it, if you are nearby, I'll come! :)

Just kicking around the dream in my head at this time! I just know that what's been in there in the past hasn't worked and they all have a few things in common:

Trying to create a sit down destination place where there really isn't any parking or anything else around it in a place that doesn't hold very much sit down space. They seemed to be relying on a 'car driven' society w/ a product that you couldn't eat 'on the go'. Selling something that was so specific (the majority of folks around this section don't want to eat chicken feet or beaks) and didn't speak English.

This area is booming w/ folks working here (300+ easy) 3 blocks away from the restaurant but come 4:30 it's a ghost town. And they all drive in from the surrounding suburbs, park, and don't move their cars until it's quiting time. Then they all exit via the same road right passed the restaraunt. 2 lanes, 1 way so traffic is also on the plus side for restaurant. It's easy in and out if you want to park and go in.

I pitched the dream to DH at lunch and he actually said that it might be something doable (he's been working on his business plan to takeover the business he works at when the guy retires). I was pretty surprised when he said that. At first he said that it was the wrong place and noted the other failed restaraunts but when I stated my case and my observations he did say that he thought I'd nailed it and should look into it more.

DH has been working w/ the SBA and another local mentoring group to help put his plan together.

I think DH was just impressed that I came up w/ so many good points and was able to conteract any percieved negative w/ an answer and viable solution. He wants to see me be able to figure out a way to combine the things that I love to do and market it and hopefully turn a buck.

I've worked closely w/ the town council and have a friend who is the head of marketing and public relations for a very large Philadelphia company so I may pick her brain to get some feedback. She's also an ex-member of council and can help me navigate that.

Anyway - I may call the landlord just to see what the rent is like so that this isn't always a dream.

I think I'm going to go back to my old company working in the medical field and see about working there part time because I would make so much more money and work less hours. More time to pursue other dreams whatever they may be and wherever they may lead me. It's time to do something.

There are so many artists locally and I have def. thought about that piece of it.

And oh do I have ideas about branding and product!

See link below for more!

Here is a link that might be useful: G'town cupcake

All great advice above. It sounds like a wonderful dream and worth pursuing with the SBA to see if there's a way to make the numbers work. They'll help you get your ducks in a row or be honest and tell you they'll never line up!

We actually have a similar type of place walking distance from our house. They do cupcakes, scones, lairs, some muffins and a few other mini dessert type items. They also have ice cream and coffee. It's still new so hard to tell how they will do but 2 things will be a death knell IMO.

First, their products are ok - not spectacular and at the price point it better be spectacular or I'll take my $$ elsewhere. Also, at that price point, your audience becomes more limited. Ya gotta sell a LOT of cupcakes to make your rent to say nothing of the other expenses involved. The second issue is parking - the place by us has very limited parking. It's walkable for me but if it wasn't, I'd be very unlikely to drive around the block looking for a space. Does the location you're looking at have adequate parking? Business is lost when your customer have to jump through hoops to get to you. The Baker Boys

Now THIS place, a few miles away has been in business a few years and has expanded twice. Their bakery menu is more inclusive The couple who own it hit many of the local farmers' markets during the summer and it's has expanded their customer base quite a bit, however even with great employees I think they work 24/7.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Bent Fork

The market for the place isn't sit down at all. The foot traffic is unbelievable though. It's w/in walking distance (4 blocks) to a hospital, all of the surrounding specialists offices, w/in a stones throw from an office building that has minimum 300+ folks there (lots of people out walking on multiple breaks from there), it's on the main walking path of an elementary school on one side and a middle school on the other, hair salon and other various small business.

No I see the market as being items that must be small enough to carry while you walk, inexpensive enough that kids can buy something w/ spare coins on their way home from school, open on Saturdays after hours for kids parties, something that can be baked en masse for orders and a place where I could hold special nights open and feature something or someone.

It has to be product that is basically easy in and out and that comes at different price points so that even if you buy a simple and humble cupcake w/ leftover coins in your pocket on your way home from school, that you feel like you're getting something beautiful and special.

Or maybe you just want to sit a moment w/ a co-worker on your break at a table and enjoy a little something. I see people out and about on breaks here constantly. And they're all breaktime walkers.

Seeing as how it's a ghost town after 4:30PM it wouldn't be financially reasonable to be open in the evenings or on Sundays.

Oh and hey - if you like that table and chair that you've been sitting on or admiring through the window - well - that's probably for sale too! The art and photography on the wall would be local and for sale too. Basically if it's not nailed down and I have back-up then it's be for sale. If I have the means (and w/ cheap furniture that's spruced up I usually do) why not create an atmosphere that someone might want to take home w/ them? And they could.

If it's close to a hospital, I would consider being open Sunday mornings. Doctors are notorious for stopping off and bringing the staff treats on Sunday mornings when they come in to make rounds.

Before I'd seriously consider opening a business in that location, I'd spend a day or so outside the business, counting and polling the people who actually pass by.

Offering free Wifi would be an attraction but then you will have campers taking up your limited table space. Could you expand onto the sidewalk?

We've lost most of our local bakeries to the grocery stores. We have two independent bakeries left and both have a deli selection and free WiFi. One has several computers set up for people to use. Both are high end bakeries who also sell specialty breads and offer fair trade coffee. You can buy coffee by the cup or by the pound. There's always people with laptops camping out in both places.

Good luck with your dream!!

...not trying to be a dream crusher, but when you say the cupcakes would cost 'coins', that makes them under a dollar doesn't it?

The cupcake stores that are still in business in my area (Tampa) sell oversized cupcakes and they are $2.50 and up.

Cupcake shops are now the "In" thing...a couple reality shows on TLC, Food Network, etc.

Ten years ago, the in thing was Tea Rooms. Did great for awhile, now few are still open. I think today's cupcake shops might go the way of yesterday's Tea Rooms.

I agree, if you can get a Small Business Loan and have a great business plan, go for it. Don't put your own money or your house up as colateral.

ML

I seem to recall you have small kids- I may be wrong. Who would take care of them while you work 12 hour+ days? Who will clean your house? Just questions....

Because the food industry has the highest failure rate in industry, I doubt you will find anyone who will give you a start up small business loan that isn't backed by security. If you are already up and running and a proven success, that may be different.

I don't think it's possible to go into business without taking the associated risks. I know we take risks everyday as business owners and I don't know any other business owners who doesn't have risks associated with being in business. Someone has to take the risk and it won't be the bank. Your business = your risk.

Bakery hours are grueling. My DS worked in one for awhile right out of high school.

The smaller size cupcakes are all the rage right now. They are about the size of a quarter and can be sold for coins. Check out "Baked by Melissa" for the size cupcakes I am seeing pop up all over.

Best of luck to you. Too many people don't dream. Many dreams can be made a reality...

I own a business that sells gourmet dessert products. Started out selling to stores. I think that was good for me because it gave me an oportunity to see if there was a market for my products. That may be a lower cost approach for you. I got my retail accounts by exhibiting in trade shows. I would do some research and see of this approach might be feasible for you. Once you have an established customer base, your more likely to succeed in a retail setting like the one you described. I wonder what effect, if any, the recent egg problem might have on a new cupcake business.

Your dream has to start somewhere, I love your plan !!

Definitely crunch the numbers though, can you afford to personally subsidize your business for a few years before meeting your expenses ?, that's a harsh reality but you'd be surprised how soon the end of the month comes by and bills have to be paid.

I owned a retail business for 4 years, gross revenues were amazing, but expenses surpassed those, so not worth it. It must be hard to estimate your cost of operation, but you really have to factor in every cost, insurance, security system, basic utilities, supplies, staff, losses, etc... which are your costs to make a sale, how much you will net at the end of the year.

I know I'm a dream crusher but sharpen your pencil and try to do broad estimates in order to figure out how this could be done.

I thought I remembered a friend posting a few weeks ago on FB about "Georgetown Cupcake" (see cyn427 post). So, my memory is not totally gone.lol I went back and found her post. Yep, she and her granddaughters stood in line in the pouring rain on a Saturday morning waiting to buy cupcakes. Says they are delish! They also give out freebies on Saturday mornings. Incentive for purchasing more cupcakes.

I really like the Baked by Melissa cupcakes. If you look at the website you will see that they photograph their cupcakes along with a quarter (for size reference). While I really don't remember what I paid for the cupcakes, I see that they now ship nationwide at about $.70 per cupcake - not including the shipping costs.

The small size is perfect IMHO. You can pop a whole cupcake in your mouth which makes them easy to handle/eat while you are walking around the city. Also, from a calorie standpoint, I don't feel like I am over-indulging. I manage to satisfy a craving without alot of extra calorie guilt attached. I figure that if I walk a few city blocks, I've pretty much burned off alot of the calories.

I do think you should investigate the marketing aspect of this type of business. Baked by Melissa started as a brick and mortar and is now shipping nationwide. Seems to be a good business model for the type of business you are dreaming about.

"you never know until you've tried" or "I would rather have one half of everything rather than one half of nothing", choice words spoken by a late-nite minister. I believe in chasing your dreams at any age, but as you get older, it's even more important. Why wait?????

I have a space in a local antique mall, but eventually *will* open a small boutique. I'm not giving up on my dream. ;o)

...and like you, have had the name picked out since one of my DD's was 5 or 6.....Jennifer's Closet named after DD #2. ;o)

I wish things were like they use to be, good product and hard work and a dream.

After reading above, it's all about getting license, insurances, the health department, location and numbers. Kind of takes the romance out of it, doesn't it?

Since you make great cupcakes, how about selling them on the internet? I've seen success stories on the Food Network. Of course there not going to put stories about companies that didn't make it.

Again, I wish things were like they use to be.

"I wonder what effect, if any, the recent egg problem might have on a new cupcake business."

Large scale bakeries don't crack their own eggs. They buy them buy the gallon or figal, or used powdered.

With the recent egg problem the market may be flooded with eggs and the price will go down temporarily possibly.

Read here how the contaminated eggs will be used:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38851155/ns/health-food_safety/

Here is a link that might be useful: Eggs

Did you see the article in this morning's Philadelphia Inquirer about the 2 cupcake trucks? Obviously your idea of having a little 'corner cupcake cafe' isn't the same as someone selling out of a truck. But the photo that accompanied the article showed a nice line of customers in JFK Plaza waiting to purchase cupcakes. There's a market for sweets.

Here is a link that might be useful: Philly cupcake trucks

I did see the "cupcake lady" interviewed last night. She really seemed clueless as far as licensing and where she can operate/sell her cupcakes. Says its all a mix up?

Apparently a lawyer, but not a very good one when it comes to business matters. The truck that she operates her cupcake business from had been impounded by L&I. I think she's trying to get away without dealing with L&I, and that only works for so long.

However, while I caught the piece at the very end, it does seems as tho she has a booming cupcake business!

dilly dally-
I didnt mean that egg consumption would hamper big bakeries (although I think it would). I meant what effect would the egg problem have on a small start up business...that does crack their own. I wonder if the consumer is buying fewer products made with eggs at the moment? I have a food business, that uses no egg products, but I would have to think that it would have an impact on small businesses that do (and large ones too), in the short term of course. That could be crucial to a small start up.

I'm back! Nope, nope - still dreaming!

Yes I did see the mobile cupcake vans! Not in person though - haven't passed one of them yet!

I guess where many see obstacles or 'you know you'll have to do this or that' and 'what about this' and 'don't you have little kids' I say 'Ummm, yep. And....?'. Maybe it's my personality but you see something, you make a plan and you adjust as will be needed as things twist and turn. My favorite line that that has always stuck w/ me and that I try to live my life by is 'the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley'. You can't plan for everything so adapt and overcome.

It's a dream and I'm dreaming out loud that's all.

Seriously - small locally owned family businesses regularly have their young children in the place of business. I See it on a regular basis. Up until my parents generation my family always had the kids in the place of business if they weren't in school. They either worked, studied or played in the back room. Could be a good example for kids about work don't you think? Especially if you can show them that you've figured out a way to make a bit of money at something you enjoy - horrendous days and good!

Mobile cupcake vans, we don't have them in Montreal, I would so love that.

Oh in regards to showing kids the value of hardwork:

I should have clarified and stated that it might be quite a awhile until you see some profit and it may not be huge but hang in there if you can!

Mitch - I had no idea that you were in Montreal!

And thanks for all of the lonks everybody!

And thanks for the 'things to remember to do' in case I decide to pursue it at some point!

Now all I can think of is cupcakes, lots of them. But I am afraid of the egg thing going on. Gosh I want a cupcake!

LOL, newdawn. I'll take a chocolate/coffee cupcake, with chocolate butter cream frosting. I'm afraid of the egg thing too! While I buy from my niece, now I want to do an inspection!! LOL!

You seem to have done a lot of thinking about this and your DH knows what a business plan is. You are way ahead of others who dream about a business.

One thing that really helped me sort things out, was to take some classes at the local technical college. The one in my area has a series geared to start-up entrepreneurs. There is also a woman's business association in my area that offered both free and tuition classes that I took. I learned a lot.

There are a lot of success stories in the restaurant business where the owners now chuckle and tell how everyone told them that their idea wouldn't work back in the day. One close acquaintance of mine tells how everyone told him back in the 1950's that pizza was just a passing fad, and he was a fool to buy those funny looking ovens and convert a former funeral parlor into a pizza parlor. He retired a few years ago. His pizza parlor had became somewhat of a local landmark and was purchased by someone else who still runs it. Who's laughing now, right?

Go for it.

Dilly - that's exactly one of the things that I was thinking I should check into - entrepreneur classes and other business classes at our community college. They have quite a few - some are actual semester long courses and others are Adult Enrichment classes. I believe that they even offer one geared towards womens start up business.

I figured I should check into it one way or the other as there are probably so many benefits from it even if I don't start a new venture. There's always value to learning!

GoldDust - I buy my eggs from family friends too as soon as they start laying. When their kids 4-H chickens aren't laying we try to buy from other 4-H members. Can't beat .99 for a dozen freshly laid eggs!

Oh and jeez! Yesterday my boss says to me that she wants to open her own physical therapy practice and take me for her manager. She said she's putting an oven in the back to entice me. So now SHE's working on a business plan! I asked her if she'd watched any of the Cupcake Girls episodes and she lit up and said 'You have to open a cupcake store!'. I just laughed! We've always joked about having a physical therapy/ cupcake/ coffee/ bar joint.

Talk about miracles, your dream may come true ttodd. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Congrats on your new manager job.

I had my cupcake it was chocolate w/butter cream icing, but it was Walmart. We have no bakery in town.

I work in a specialized niche within marketing consulting and a few years ago I had a client who was starting up a new catering/banquet facility. I found that there was an amazing amount of very useful published info available about the economics of food service businesses, feasibility considerations, market demographics, management issues, etc. If anything it was almost overwhelming!

I used interlibrary loan services to access several dozen books. If you have a community college system in your state, chances are there are some food-service curriculums, with corresponding academic libraries you can visit to browse the books. Interlibrary loans allow these books (and those in almost any other library in the US) to be delivered to your library, most of the time at no charge. (Books from Cornell Univ., are a notable exception; but often the same titles can located from other libraries, without fee. The Culinary Institute has a fabulous, and generally loan-able food-service collection, too.)

To start to explore the subject, try using the worldcat.org resource, (Link below) which you can do from home. Then go to your library and see what can be borrowed through them. Some people are lucky enough to live in areas where interlibrary can be accessed from home computers, but unfortunately for me, I don't. Usually within a library system, sometimes at a higher level than normal circ., there are interlibrary specialists who will happy to help you. I had one complicated request that baffled my tiny local library; they passed me on to the regional system's interlibrary office. When I explained my request, the librarian literally responded: "Oh, that's easy-peasy!" And in a few clicks of the mouse the books were ordered and on the way from a California academic libray for pick up in my tiny branch library in a village in northern NY, pop. less than 500!

(May I just point out here that, librarians ROCK!)

Anyway, I highly recommnd you spend the time to do some research at this stage. It isn't just to throw cold water on your dream, but to undergird it with reality (and the hard-learned lessons from others, that way you can skip ahead on the learning curve) so your investment of time, money and passion will have a better chance of success.

Good luck!
L

Here is a link that might be useful: World Cat link -

A ***physical therapy/ cupcake/ coffee/ bar joint***

Now THAT'S a business idea! Get your joints worked on while sipping a latte and popping a mini cupcake in your mouth!

Yes, indeed! At least you could grab a Latte and a mini cupcake before or after your appointment! Just think how many people would stop missing their appointments! LOL!

I don't want to sound like a Debi Downer but you did mention that your DH is going to be starting his own business. IMHO both of you cannot launch a business at the same time. When a person launches a business they almost always need their spouse in the background to help tie up loose ends that come unraveled with a new business. There are other issues too if you should both become entrepreneurs. For instance, how are you going to finance your family's health insurance? Most often one spouse keeps working at a paycheck job that comes with those benefits for a while until the new business takes off. Even if your current employer does not make a contribution to your health insurance, and it is funded by payroll deduction, you won't get the same low premium when you are out of a group plan and self payer.

Your DH is going to take over a business that he has already worked at so he knows what is in store. Have you ever worked in a commercial restaurant kitchen before? If not, it may be useful to take a part time job at one to see if you could tolerate doing it 60 hr/wk.

"Seriously - small locally owned family businesses regularly have their young children in the place of business. I See it on a regular basis." -ttodd

We frequently have dinner at a family owned/run Italian restaurant. It is not unusual to see three generations working together with the common goal of meeting the customers' needs. I love when the little ones are there. The elders give them tasks that are age appropriate and they execute them very well.

I really like the idea of involving your kids in your business. DH was a part of a family owned business from the time he was a wee one until he went out on his own. We have made a point of involving DD in our business. While it may just be answering the phone for an afternoon, filing, or whatever task needs an extra hand at a particular moment, it is good for her to understand where the $$ comes from.

While I don't think she will ever be interested in running a business like ours, seeing how we work, the number of hours it takes to make a busines work are good lessons for any child who will someday be a part of a business, or run a business of their own. The main lesson we are trying to teach is dedication. Secondly, we are teaching her that in the current economic climate, being automonomous is an option and can be a very good thing. I want her to have the option of not punching a 9-5 clock.

There are many things your kids can do to "help out" in the type of business you're dreaming of, even if it starts with wiping down tables or lending an extra hand in the kitchen.

I vividly remember a great piece of advice I received soon after DD was born when DH and I were wondering how we were going to make it work having a child with a serious health situation which could have prevented us from doing many things every other new parent does by rote. A friend told me that the key was to make my child a part of my life rather than molding my life around my child. Have to say that advice has served me well and would be advice I'd give to any new parent. Enabled me to retain my sanity, keep things in better perspective, and most importantly, a much more positive perception of what our family's future would be.

I hope to someday be eating cupcakes by ttodd!

I happened to stumble across this article while looking for something else and thought of this thread. It's about a cupcake vendor in Philadelphia who got their truck confiscated yesterday because they did not do their homework and find out the laws before launching their business. This sort of thing happens a lot all over. I know this would not be you and you are doing proper research before your launch. I just found it interesting.

http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-will-no-one-think-of-the-cupcakes-cupcakes-confiscated-in-philly/

Here is a link that might be useful: CupCake Lady Arrest

dilly - Your link is about the same woman that mairecate linked yesterday.

I have to wonder if this woman has not calculated the publicity, seeing that she is an attorney licensed to practice in the State in which she operates her cupcake truck business. Even if she doesn't practice the type of law which covers legally setting up the type of business she runs, she definitely had to realize that those regulations exist.

She's very visible. Legitimate businesses (selling food to the public) obtain the necessary permits and submit to their business operations to inspection. If I were running a legitimate business I would certainly be aggravated by the fact that she's flying by the seat of her pants, and not complying with the city's ordinances covering the sale of food by a business within the city limits.

Personally, I wouldn't buy from her because she's not been inspected. Who knows what's actually happening behind the scenes on that truck. That's what protects consumers - inspections.