Why I Wanted to Open a Cake Shop Even During the Pandemic
This note is a record of the opening of "Yoko Bakes," my cake shop that is clean for both the body and nature, written by me, a full-time housewife.
The fulfillment of baking cakes for someone else
Due to the pandemic, I went into self-restraint mode and canceled my English lessons (as a teacher), which led me to dive headfirst into the world of baking.
The cafe I was planning to start in April with On-chan, whom I met at Kamakowa, was also canceled due to the pandemic, but I couldn't just sit around doing nothing. People around me were struggling to buy lunch and snacks because schools were closed. And so, in mid-April 2020, I started a takeout-only shop.
On-chan was in charge of side dishes, and I was in charge of sweets, operating every Friday from 11:00 to 14:00. As the COVID situation changed moment by moment, we spent our days through trial and error, thinking of countermeasures. Even so, the fact that there were people who bought the sweets I made, and people who went out of their way to visit, made me so happy that I realized the fulfillment of baking for "someone else"—beyond just for myself or my family—was something irreplaceable.the fulfillment of baking for "someone else" was something irreplaceable.
Selling while chatting with customers, and having customers say "Delicious!" on the spot—the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment born from such interactions were exactly like the markets in Frome, England.
I really want to have my own shop
Every time I set up a stall, I became more convinced that "this is it." Gradually, the vague dreams I had held—
・I want a place where I can freely display the sweets I make
・I want a place of my own to create
・I want to create my own world!
・I hope I can open a shop someday
—began to sprout from the ground with incredible force.
The dream I had kept hidden for so long appeared with such a big presence that I couldn't ignore it, so I responded by starting to research exactly what I needed to do.
Even as a complete amateur, I understood that I needed "money" and a "location" to start a shop, so I first started looking for properties near where I lived.
I got information from people around me about Kamakura and Kita-Kamakura, and tried calling numbers on "tenant wanted" signs I passed by. But, frankly speaking, I didn't know anything. Budget? Ideal rent? Sales forecast? Ummm, I had no idea. I was looking for properties by trial and error, but I realized I needed to understand money to some extent, so I started studying that too.
At the time, I was part of a community for entrepreneurs in Kamakura called HATSU, so I asked the people there for advice, and I began to see the numbers for "what kind of rent would feel comfortable for me." Based on my sales at Kamakowa, I made a forecast of how much I could sell in a day, and calculated a monthly sales forecast by multiplying daily sales by 30 days. Then, I settled on the idea that it would be ideal if rent was about 10% of sales.
The search for a property in Kamakura was difficult, and just when I was about to give up...!
That part was fine, but in my case, there were no commercial properties I could rent for that amount in Kamakura! After all, it's Kamakura. The "real" Kamakura. Land and houses are expensive. It's not an amount that an ordinary housewife like me can rent alone.
I tried thinking, "Maybe I'll just have a small workshop," or "Maybe I'll just rent space one day a week," or ultimately, "I have kids, no money, and maybe opening a shop is impossible for me anyway," but the desire to have "my own castle" just couldn't be suppressed (lol).
Then, one day, I was talking on the phone with Atelier Ensemble, an architect/designer and the landlord of Kamakowa. When I mentioned that I couldn't find a property that felt right, they asked, "Yoko-san, does the shop have to be in Kamakura?" When I replied, "Well, at this point, I'm thinking of looking in Fujisawa too," they immediately sent me the details, saying, "Actually, there's one in Fujisawa right now. I'll send you the photos and floor plans now."
And then, wow!
Next to that vacant shop was a flower shop! Next to that was a coffee shop! It's super close to the station! The inside is huge! The green roof is lovely! It's the best!
And, and, the rent is within my budget~~~~!!!
Have I ever been this excited in my life? I might have been more excited than when I passed my university entrance exam. Even though I hadn't even gone to see it yet, I decided immediately, "I'll do it here!" and arranged the schedule for the earliest possible date to go see it.
It was a hot day on August 9th when I went to see the property with Atelier Ensemble, Atsu-chan, and my whole family. It was a quiet yet reasonably busy residential area, with friendly-looking neighbors, the sea and a river nearby, and just 30 seconds from an Enoden station. The florist next door and the coffee shop owner were both such wonderful people. The flowers were cute and soothing, and the coffee was incredibly delicious. There was a sense that time was flowing slowly.
I felt that I could make it work here.
I had that feeling. I reported to the landlord, 'I want to open a cake shop here!', and from there, I jumped straight into the loan application process.
Because no one tells me to 'stop,' I must have the resolve myself
The loan application, which I thought would be quick and easy, was surprisingly difficult. In the end, whether I do it or not is entirely up to me.No one told me to 'do it,' and no one told me to 'stop.'Will I, this very me, do it or not? That is all there is to it.
Interestingly, when I take various actions, the shop preparations move forward steadily. When I hesitate and stand still, everything stops dead. It might be obvious, but over these past few months, I have experienced firsthand thatI am the president of my own lifeand that this is all about whether or not I lose to myself.
Can I, a mere full-time housewife, someone with no financial knowledge, little life experience, and who didn't even graduate from a confectionery school, really start a cake shop?Someone like me who gets nervous just buying something over 10,000 yen is going to borrow millions to start a business? With two children to raise? Of course, the only one asking me those things is my own inner voice. So, I brushed that voice aside again and again, listened to 'Sore ga Daiji' by Daidai Man Brothers over and over (lol), and even when I felt like giving up or losing, I decided that I would absolutely do it, and that is how I made it this far.
And now, four and a half months after I first saw the shop, the day after the final Kamakowa pop-up store, finally...
I have signed the lease for the property!!
On the way here, I thought about quitting many times. However, it was truly encouraging when people who saw my post on Instagram saying 'I'm opening a shop!' said things like, 'I'm looking forward to it!', 'I'm sure the preparations are tough, but do your best!', and 'You'll be fine, Yoko-chan!'. Even when I was about to break, it was thanks to everyone who said, 'I'll come visit when the shop is ready,' that I was able to make it this far.
That said, Yoko Bakes has only just reached the starting line. I have finally reached zero. From here on, it's about turning zero into one and then adding to it. I plan to continue documenting that journey, so I would appreciate everyone's support.
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I post Yoko Bakes' cakes on Instagram. Please follow me there as well.