Since we moved in, I've been dreaming of making a headboard using one of the vintage doors we have lying around. I still have the torn pages from the Martha Stewart Living that featured this project. Sigh. But after refinishing the two dresser/shelf sets, I realized that another wooden element would make our room look dark and heavy, so much wood is already in use as trim. I started online shop-dreaming and found a swirly, wrought-iron headboard at Anthropologie. It was super expensive and so was shipping. I decided instead to give a painted headboard a try — easy to fix if it didn't go well! It took a long time to measure and tape everything off. But three coats of paint later, I absolutely love the results. And it cost me $20 in paint and supplies, plus a few hours of time. Definitely worth it!
I know I've talked about Marie's Natural Foods already, but a few people at our local chamber of commerce have told me that Marie wanted to start a bakery and would be my competition. It did seem like a logical next step for her, since she already stocks bulk baking supplies and has a huge store with tons of space in back for building a kitchen. I was nervous.
Last week I met her, the elusive Marie. She was nice, thoughtful and straightforward. She and her family moved here from Ohio in January to open the store. They've been disappointed in the customer count so far. The business isn't doing as well as she'd hoped, and her husband, who initially worked with her behind the counter, had to find another job to support them. She's definitely not opening a bakery herself with consistenty low sales in the store already.
It's disappointing to hear, but something I have already been thinking about for a while. I've been thinking about this location as a plus simply because of low competition and the affordability of space and ingredients. But the reduced population combined with a greater density of subsistance-level incomes means I still may not succeed in making a profit. Back to research mode.
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