Looking for a place to start a bakery (Pittsburgh, Everett: sale, FSBO)

[bluecarebear]

Originally Posted by mrsdpc2006

In regard to western PA, Harmony and Zelienople tend to have a hippie/hemp friendly vibe to them as well. I don't think Lawrence or Mercer counties would work. There tends to be more of a "meat and potatoes" than "organic and gluten free".

Harmony and Zelienople are full of rich hipsters and retirees. Each town has a bakery. Organic products are very popular in Lawrence and Mercer. For heaven's sake, there are Amish in both counties that sell their baked goods. Get out of Pittsburgh and visit the country.

[mercerme]

Pretty simple.

Assemble a list of all colleges in Pennsylvania, sort by their enrollment.

Draw circle radius around those that interest you. Start pricing land and looking at general landscape and competition.

Your business goes in / close to these campus[es].

Your living area is out in the nearby countryside.

I'd lean more towards private colleges instead of state sponsored schools. Exception notably would be State College which should consider. Indiana, Pennsylvania is another to toss on consider list although it's a State school.

[Saxmansnyder]

I'm not gone, just have been busy with family and life.

Many modifications to original plans. I'm steering away from the custom cakes and more toward bagels and artisan bread with a few sweet items. Been working much more on them as costs to make are lower as well.

The idea of having a hobby farm is also fading more into an ideal rather than an actuality.

As we've searched houses, we've come across very affordable ones in the Pittsburgh area, especially in a town called New Kensington. I've gotten mixed viewpoints on that area.

Within the Pittsburgh area, the towns/boroughs that have been recommended are:

East McKeesport
North Versailles
Beechview
Greenfield
Shaler
Brighton Heights
Carrick
Trafford
North Huntington

Any insights as far as living there as well as a bagel/artisan bread cafe in those areas?

Thank you

[Wells5]

Greater Pittsburgh area already has plenty of bakeries including the Giant Eagle stores and Panera Bread. Chance of success is low.


It's always iffy to start a business from scratch. On the other hand, there are many established bakeries for sale, which chance of success is much greater. Have you thought about buying a bakery?

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by Saxmansnyder

I'm not gone, just have been busy with family and life.

Many modifications to original plans. I'm steering away from the custom cakes and more toward bagels and artisan bread with a few sweet items. Been working much more on them as costs to make are lower as well.

The idea of having a hobby farm is also fading more into an ideal rather than an actuality.

As we've searched houses, we've come across very affordable ones in the Pittsburgh area, especially in a town called New Kensington. I've gotten mixed viewpoints on that area.

Within the Pittsburgh area, the towns/boroughs that have been recommended are:

East McKeesport
North Versailles
Beechview
Greenfield
Shaler
Brighton Heights
Carrick
Trafford
North Huntington

Any insights as far as living there as well as a bagel/artisan bread cafe in those areas?

Thank you

My top two picks would be Greenfield and North Huntington. (I may have already recommended these two earlier in this thread.) North Huntington has many young affluent and plenty of traffic on Route 30. Greenfield has many young professionals. It is also very walkable and has several small business districts. You do have some competition in Squirrel Hill with some specialty bakeries and places like Breuggers for bagels.

Originally Posted by Wells5

Greater Pittsburgh area already has plenty of bakeries including the Giant Eagle stores and Panera Bread. Chance of success is low.

It's always iffy to start a business from scratch. On the other hand, there are many established bakeries for sale, which chance of success is much greater. Have you thought about buying a bakery?

I really don't see Giant Eagle and Panera Bread as direct competition to what the OP is proposing. I don't go to Giant Eagle to buy their bakery products and Panera is more of a sandwich and high end pastry kind of restaurant.

[Saxmansnyder]

I'm trying not to be high end, but rather offer a quality product and place to gather for the community. I'm not a hipster, but rather a 49-year old guy who wants to do right by wherever I live and open a shop.

[Saxmansnyder]

Wells5: I'd thought about that, but haven't located bakeries for sale during my internet search.

[Wells5]

Link is for Ohio bakeries for sale. Some are retirement situations with partial owner financing.


https://www.bizquest.com/bakeries-for-sale-in-ohio/

[Saxmansnyder]

Thank you for the link. I'll be certain to check those out.

[toobusytoday]

I'd suggest starting a new thread in the Pittsburgh forum. You should get a more suggestions there.