Pop up shops and more
The last few weeks have been busy! Firstly I was at Enfield's pop up shop for two weeks, selling cakes, tea and coffee as well as gifts.
It was a mixed couple of weeks. Sometimes quiet, sometimes not so quiet. All in all a good experience. Not in terms of money (I had to take off two weeks unpaid leave from my day job) but in terms of meeting people, growing my business contacts and finding out for myself first hand how hard it would be to own an actual tea room.
Let me expand, firstly you have to bake, of course you can get ready made stuff but that distracts from the tea room appeal. Then once that's done, you need to make sure the shop is clean, coffee machine is ready, kettle is full. Then you wait for customers, they come and go, leaving a mess, (even though they try to be tidy, cake gets everywhere and coffee always seems to drip). So you clean again, then refill the coffee machine and kettle. All good, but by the end of the day, you can't help but be tired. (Especially when you are used to a desk job like me) You can't just go home and rest, nope, its back to baking and the cycle continues! It would have been great if the profit was high, but due to location, clientele and general low profit margins in cake and drinks, the money isn't great. Sigh.... my dream just isn't meant to be...
Or is it a case of the dream needing to change? yes, i think that is the answer. Firstly, my day job is OK. it pays well, doesn't stress me out and people bring me tea, hurrah! Secondly, I don't really need a shop, after all "sugar tea room, the mobile tea room that comes to you" that's my slogan so that's what I should concentrate on. I need to expand that more, do parties, get involved in local community projects and just build the actual mobile tea room! Who knows, maybe i should buy a caravan and make it into a tea room? (maybe save that one for when I have a drive/garage lol)
So onto the next event, North London Wedding show. A chance to showcase my mobile tea room to North London brides. (All of which love the idea, but I could tell some of them were thinking "i can do that too" grr)
Either way, it was good fun. Got to make more contacts, got loads of good feedback and got to hang out with my sister, which was actually very fun. (she's a make up artist so more relevant for her).
Onwards to the next event, craft market in wood green. Again, another good experience. All cupcakes sold, a few gifts sold too and generally a good day. (There again end of the month).
Then back at Spitalfields Market. Busy as always but the high cost of stall hire makes it not worthwhile, so not doing that one again anytime soon. (Maybe save it for the summer when its super busy!)
A few photos to finish my entry for today. Enjoy and thanks for reading! (if you do read this blog, please comment! xx)
It was a mixed couple of weeks. Sometimes quiet, sometimes not so quiet. All in all a good experience. Not in terms of money (I had to take off two weeks unpaid leave from my day job) but in terms of meeting people, growing my business contacts and finding out for myself first hand how hard it would be to own an actual tea room.
Let me expand, firstly you have to bake, of course you can get ready made stuff but that distracts from the tea room appeal. Then once that's done, you need to make sure the shop is clean, coffee machine is ready, kettle is full. Then you wait for customers, they come and go, leaving a mess, (even though they try to be tidy, cake gets everywhere and coffee always seems to drip). So you clean again, then refill the coffee machine and kettle. All good, but by the end of the day, you can't help but be tired. (Especially when you are used to a desk job like me) You can't just go home and rest, nope, its back to baking and the cycle continues! It would have been great if the profit was high, but due to location, clientele and general low profit margins in cake and drinks, the money isn't great. Sigh.... my dream just isn't meant to be...
Or is it a case of the dream needing to change? yes, i think that is the answer. Firstly, my day job is OK. it pays well, doesn't stress me out and people bring me tea, hurrah! Secondly, I don't really need a shop, after all "sugar tea room, the mobile tea room that comes to you" that's my slogan so that's what I should concentrate on. I need to expand that more, do parties, get involved in local community projects and just build the actual mobile tea room! Who knows, maybe i should buy a caravan and make it into a tea room? (maybe save that one for when I have a drive/garage lol)
So onto the next event, North London Wedding show. A chance to showcase my mobile tea room to North London brides. (All of which love the idea, but I could tell some of them were thinking "i can do that too" grr)
Either way, it was good fun. Got to make more contacts, got loads of good feedback and got to hang out with my sister, which was actually very fun. (she's a make up artist so more relevant for her).
Onwards to the next event, craft market in wood green. Again, another good experience. All cupcakes sold, a few gifts sold too and generally a good day. (There again end of the month).
Then back at Spitalfields Market. Busy as always but the high cost of stall hire makes it not worthwhile, so not doing that one again anytime soon. (Maybe save it for the summer when its super busy!)
A few photos to finish my entry for today. Enjoy and thanks for reading! (if you do read this blog, please comment! xx)
