Cookie Shop - Week 17

So we're 36 days away from opening the doors for business!  It's really strange because for the longest time I was spending so much time picking out stuff to order for the shop....and now I'm actually ordering stuff... and it's arriving!  From new bakery boxes to my cash drawer....tables, chairs, uniform shirts, mugs, ribbon....it's so exciting!  Buy my house is literally full of stuff.....and I can't wait until we're ready to move it all to the bakery.  I'm pretty sure that the local UPS and Fedex drivers think I'm a compulsive shopper because they come to my house every single day with more packages!

Construction is going really well.....we're keeping on schedule so that's great news!  The drywall finisher is done....and I am so impressed by how great the new walls look.  Painting is underway.....after a long list of paint sample requests at Sherwin Williams...but I feel good about the color choices and I think it's all going to turn out awesome.  Make sure to check my next blog update to see the paint colors on the walls!

it's really amazing how each step of the process really makes a big difference!

there's Jim the drywall guy!

 Another milestone happened last week....the main component of this whole project is now on-site...the oven!  I'm not gonna lie....I cried when we opened it.  It's just so new and beautiful...and BIG!  I've been baking 12 cookies per tray, 1 tray at a time for 9 minutes each in my oven for so many years.  This oven has the capacity to bake anywhere from 125-150 cookies AT ONE TIME for 6 MINUTES PER BATCH.  So in a nutshell....this oven will be life-changing for me.  Now we just need to figure out how to lift this 500 pound beast to install it on the legs and place it for the electrician to wire it.  To be continued....

isn't it beautiful!!??!!

 We started working on my custom countertop this past week.  I am so lucky that my uncle volunteered to build these for me.  They are going to be so amazing and will add the perfect personal touch to the shop.  My dad and uncle and I spent a morning at the lumber yard hand-selecting each board.  We picked out some with really intricate wood grain and some that were so perfect they looked fake.  The countertop is solid boards of oak and maple....it's similar to butcher-block but the boards are 5 inches wide.  I cannot wait to see it completed....I think it will be one of my favorite finishes in the whole place.  I also love that we got to spend the time together to select the wood.  I actually learned a lot and it was fun!

  

I've also been working on lots of decorative and DIY projects for the shop.  Too many to even list them all....but I've been consignment shop hunting for some cool pieces to re-do, Rob and I have been working on a lighting project that I am SO excited about, I've been working with my amazingly great friend Lynn on a GIANT project that's going to be awesome.  I have so many projects going on right now....I have no idea how they are all going to get done!

Other than that, I'm just working working working on lots of business-type stuff.  This coming week I'm enrolled in a food safety class with the Allegheny County Health Department.  2 whole days of training and testing.  And we're hoping to be done with the painting this week so we can move forward with the plumbing and electric finishes.  AND....the signs on the building and the parking lot pole sign should be going up soon, too!  Time is starting to fly!  Things are really moving along!

this is me holding a large piece that I bought at a consignment shop.  We had Rob's car that day so we had to drive home like this! :(

Happy Thanksgiving....I think it's obvious what I'm thankful for!  This bakery really is my dream coming true....and not many people get opportunities like this.  I am so so thankful for all of this.  

I'll update again soon!
-k