Josephine and Gaston not only provide a workspace, they offer guidance and advice on how to build relationships with local food producers and navigate the process of retail distribution. They currently have eight tenants who use the space for production, cooking classes, events and services such as wedding tastings. The shared kitchen space is a concept that builds both small business and community. Food entrepreneurs are able to rent it for small blocks of time without having to provide large amounts of capital up front. One of the biggest obstacles to starting a successful artisanal food business or catering company is lack of funds. “It’s very difficult to procure product as a small startup business because the volume isn’t there. A model like ours allows businesses to join together and order product that can be delivered to the space in Sharpsburg,” says Josephine, “The food business is one of the best industries for lower-income people to get into. Our model creates a community of like-minded businesses sharing an open environment, and is a great place for someone to get their foot in the door and make a living for themselves and their families.” La Dorita’s commercial kitchen space is available weekdays in five-hour blocks, from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The shared kitchen space is a concept that builds both small business and community.
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