Rough Opening Time Line for Smiley Bee

March 2021 - Decided to take the plunge after years of considering it. Started looking for a location, watching auctions, buying equipment and working on getting a loan.

The first building we looked at was pretty small (especially compared to what we ended up with.) It would have room for a couple tables, but would mostly be carry out service. It was in a decent location downtown on Chase street and had the possibility for a drive-thru. We got to look at it with a local person, but then we had to contact the actual owners to talk about anything more and they would never get back to us.

April 2021 - After looking at a few more spaces, the next building we were really interested in used to be a Dickie's Barbeque and is right on the main highway through town. Much bigger than the previous building, good seating, a meeting room and the possibility of a party room. Not great for parking, but an easy "drive up and be served" out the back door - not quite a drive thru. We put a proposal together for this building, but they didn't get back to us either.

May 2021 - The new business needed a name... a theme. Everyone always loves to know how you come up with a business name. I prefer more generic names rather than using my own name in my business names.

I wanted something that conveyed happiness and sweets, and preferred something outdoorsy or gardenish. I posted asking for ideas on Facebook, but ultimately ended up getting the inspiration from an ex-friend's email address.

Since this friend also likes to draw, I thought it would be neat for her to create the logo, but once I started working towards signage, t-shirts, etc., I realized a computer created vector image would work much better. But you will still see these three around from time to time.

We also found the building we thought would be perfect for everything we would like to do (everything, that is, except a drive-thru.) We started talking with the owner and trying to work things out one way or another.... and the end of April 2022, we finally got that building!

July 2021 - I think it's important to network and continue to learn about your craft as much as possible. I go to different trade shows such as CoffeeFest in Atlanta this year. This is my first attempts at doing latte art - I think a lot of practice is needed. :) There is always something to be learned, especially when you just starting out, but even after you've been in business for years. Never stop learning!

September 2021 - Finally starting to really officially put the word out that we're trying to start up. We created a Facebook page, Twitter page and tried to create a business Instagram page - but got flagged for "violating our terms" during the setup process before ever even being able to login. By April 2022, we have contacted them 3 times trying to find out why the account is disabled with no response beyond providing ownership proof and proof of who I am.

Since we were announcing our name and our intentions, we also decided it was time to file for LLC to protect our name and our interests.

November 2021 - After being turned down by our main bank twice, another bank we use a lot, and two other banks people have recommended, we have finally found a bank that sounds like they are interested in considering our loan. We have a list of all the documentation that we need, which we have a lot of - just need a little more actual detail, plus quotes from contractors for the remodeling work.

We sent out letters to multiple contractors in different fields - construction, electrical, plumbing, flooring - as well as inviting the health inspector and fire marshal to meet at the building we are wanting to purchase on a particular evening. Only one contractor and the health inspector showed up

January 2022 - After still not having any contractor quotes, and time running slim to try to open this year, we decided we would just try to do as much of the remodeling work on our own as possible and worked up our own quotes. Doing as much of the work ourselves as we can automatically threw our opening at least another year away, but would save us a lot of money as well.

February 2022 - Planned on going to an ice cream convention & trade show in Michigan, but the day afternoon before I was leaving to drive out was a really nice day and I had my windows down. My car was making a strange sound, so I took it to the mechanic and they said that the brakes were totally shot and "wouldn't recommend driving it very far." I figured they would probably consider a 1400 mile trip "very far." Oh well, there will be more.

We Received word that our latest loan application was never even glanced at to begin with since we were turned down for "not having enough managerial experience in the food industry" - nothing to do with the actual loan application or supporting documents.

The owner of the building we are wanting agreed to look in to owner financing. Our state of mind changed a lot to trying to open slowly as we are allowed and have the areas ready. Our actual full opening being pushed back to at least 2024, possibly 2025.

March 2022 - The fire marshall's office finally had a chance to review the remodeling plans we submitted in December.

Because of the size of the building, we have to have an actual architect draw up the plans and resubmit them.

We also found out that in order to have a "gathering area" (our recreation room and meeting / party room) in the basement, we have to install a sprinkler system throughout the entire shop.

April 28, 2022 - We officially have a home! We made a down payment and signed a purchase agreement with owner financing. (A huge Thank You! to the previous owner.) Now we're ready to get started renovating and making it our own.

May 2022 - We got our food license for both serving and selling to others to resell. We wanted the second license so we can provide cheesecakes to A&G Restaurant, a local restaurant who is interested in selling them by the slice, and also to provide cotton candy and possibly cookies and popcorn for the local girl scout troops for their concession stands as ball games this summer.

August/September 2022 - We started offering delivery once per day Monday - Saturday within Falls City around mid-August.

We also started being open for walk-in business, in the front portion of our shop, the first Monday evening, Tuesday all day, and Wednesday evenings of each month starting with September.

You never know what the future holds - but this is a general idea of what we're hoping for. We know it's going to be a long road!! Please stick with us and support us any way you can throughout our journey - we REALLY appreciate it!

November / December 2022 - We will hopefully be running well enough to offer to supply cookies, candies and coffee for business Christmas Open Houses or even individual's Christmas gatherings.

May 2023 - We would like to be to the point that the south side of our main floor can be rented out for parties in general.

Something we plan to offer once we are fully open is to have a graduation party weekend where, for a small fee, a graduate can have a table or two setup with their stuff, a slideshow of all the graduates who are participating will be showing, and we will provide some refreshments for them and all their friends and family coming to congratulate them.

Once we are fully open, this will probably be done in our party room in the basement, but I don't think we will be ready for that by graduation 2023 - but we also won't be open, so our seating area on the main floor won't be in use and it will hopefully be ready to be used for things like this.

Spring 2024 or Spring 2025 - This is when we're shooting to officially be fully open. I know this seems like a long ways off, but having to come up with all the cash on our own and doing the work when we have time and money, it will take a while. But the good thing about it is - we won't have that large loan payment when we open either.

We would like to open in the spring so we have a good summer to get started before the harder winter months hit, but it depends what happens as to when exactly we really will be fully open.

If we have enough funding, we will try to open the meeting / party room and recreation room in the basement at the same time as we open the full coffee & sweets shop. But with the expense of the sprinkler system, we may have to be open to make some money to finish that part. If you would like to see it sooner rather than later, please consider helping us by investing in helping us get started!

A very rough time line for Smiley Bee

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