#SaveWickedBatterCafe
Donazione protetta
Wicked Batter Cafe has been located in Orange Park, Florida since its Grand Opening on December 1st of 2018. We are a scratch Bakery offering Traditionally baked breads and sweets; as well as Keto ( low carb and sugar free!) baked goods. Additionally, we serve Breakfast and Lunch in a comfortable and family friendly environment that we like to think of as a quiet haven for the community. We are one of a very limited number of bakeries across the country that offer low carb and sugar free baked goods, sweets and breads. Guests drive from all over the NE Florida area to see us on a routine basis and we regularly receive returning guests from out of state.
Wicked products are made in small batches, with truly high quality ingredients, no fillers, no stabilizers and no freezing. These are as good as the home baked goods your grandparents grew up baking or eating, a time when food was prepared not heated. When it was created not just combined.
Our first year was fantastic, with an amazing response from the community, we won awards and paid the bills! With sales over projections we made a small expansion to our kitchen to keep up with increased demand, we developed a national shipping program and began to ship our treats across the country.
Projections for Year 2 kept us on track to keep " paying the bills". We started up self funded; with nothing but our personal savings. No loans. Equipment was purchased not rented; we kept it simple and overhead was streamlined. We had a little bit of cash on reserves in case of rainy weather; which we expected at some point. Few businesses avoid it entirely. We had big plans to start to build out our Franchising model for a hopeful release in Year 3. Our current location is what we hoped to be the Flagship store to a national brand of scratch style bakeries across the USA.
Covid changed everything. We are 11 months in; sales have been down 40-50% since the end of February. The dining room was closed for 6 months and just recently was re-opened to try and increase our ability to make sales. We have ran specials, takeout, curbside, partnered in promotions with some great companies ( Thanks to Farah & Farah and Watson Realty!! ) and offered the dining room as private rental space after hours. We have tried it all. The last two months have drained our little bit of cash reserves. We have stuck to our mettle and kept our staff on entirely through thick and thin; and were grateful for a PPP loan back in April which allowed us to do that. Our sales are now down 70% and making payroll looked like it was finally at its end last week. The worst had come and I was going to have to let my amazing dedicated team go.
Absolute heartbreak. I have spent 3 years building this place not only with my Crew, but my Sister and my eldest Son. I can't say its not personal. <3
I encouraged them that they needed to take that step and look for employment opportunities outside of Wicked. That I just couldn't guarantee their paychecks any longer...and it wasnt fair to keep them on the hook. I could see the numbers. I was prepared to make the final payroll from my personal account. We made a post on December 19th to our very loyal community who follows us via social media about where we had found ourselves. I had been dreading it for months and saw it all wittling away bit by bit; but it also seemed like it happened so fast !
56 minutes after I shared my post to FB; and while simultaneously crying and answering comments from our guests online ( with loving hugs from my husband, thanks Tim! <3 ) ....our post was shared via First Coast News. An old family friend posted it on the comments I was responding to....otherwise I might not have even seen it. Thank you Ashley :)
That afternoon; guests started coming in ; more than we had seen in weeks. Not quite enough to alert us to what was to come. Over that evening I had several messages from my crew with varying tones of " we arent leaving" ; " I'm not going anywhere" and my favorite " until you remove my keys from my hands" came in from my crew. They won't hear of looking for new jobs. Complete insubordination I tell you :) <3
Shoutouts to the Crew : my sister Kelsie ( and owner) for always having my back but definitely never listening, Sara for her sharp eye and even sharper sense of stubbornness ; Lucky for showing up at my door with a sign for Wicked at 10 pm and not taking No for an answer..ever...; for my son Emery ( and owner) for taking yourself off of payroll and still stubbornly showing up every time you are needed. You are all very stubborn and I love you.
Their belief , the communities belief in us....it was overwhelming.
Sunday morning people were standing outside the doors before opening; streaming inside all day long without cease. ( Including much social distancing).
Social media was blowing up. So many shares from our friends and family, old crews at other restaurants across town. Orders were pouring in. (Some were huge; too big. Thank you Robb!)
By the end of the shift... We made enough to make payroll!! This buys us another 2 weeks to keep going. To keep us together as a crew; for my staff to keep their jobs and for us to keep bringing our community together in a way we think only we can do <3 We made the news AGAIN!! Thank you Jennifer R!!
We have hopes that we will qualify for the next round of PPP loans in time. We are doing everything we can to bridge that gap between now and when something gives. We have been encouraged pretty "aggressively" by some of our most loyal guests and fellow business owners to start this Fundraiser. To allow the community to help hold us up so we can keep serving you. It seems so backwards to ask.
But...
Its more than Cake. It really is. We have cried holding the hands of loved ones during the most sad and the most beautiful moments of their lives : From Weddings to Funerals.....Baby Showers for babies that were prayed so very hard for....1st Birthdays of first Children, the mom who watches her 3 year old eat a cupcake without having to inject him with insulin first, the 5th birthday of a Diabetic child who has never had a cake, the 90th birthday of a Grandpa who hasnt had a birthday cake in 30 years, the Moms who just want to get a treat for both kids but one is diabetic and always gets the "off" thing.... the daily comfort of having somewhere to go when dietary restrictions rule your life ( and the rest of the family can eat too).....so many stories. I could keep telling them and we are only going into Year 3.
We have had the honor of doing not only the Baby Shower Cake, but then the 1st Birthday Cake... And recently the 2nd Birthday Cake all for the SAME little amazing boy and his mama! We want to be here to do his 3rd Birthday Cake....and his 18th!! We love you Odin!!
So here it is. Please help us because we have exhausted all the opportunities we can find; we have used all of our resources...but more than anything because Wicked is worth saving !
All funds will be used expressly for payroll purposes for the next 90 days, this is our normal "slow season" and the combination of it with Covid is our exact pressure point. Our goal is lofty, but anything helps! Any funds above and beyond our Fundraising Goal will be used to purchase a refrigerated vehicle capable of Delivery around our great city, with the additional labor a dedicated driver would require.
#SaveWickedBatter
Wicked products are made in small batches, with truly high quality ingredients, no fillers, no stabilizers and no freezing. These are as good as the home baked goods your grandparents grew up baking or eating, a time when food was prepared not heated. When it was created not just combined.
Our first year was fantastic, with an amazing response from the community, we won awards and paid the bills! With sales over projections we made a small expansion to our kitchen to keep up with increased demand, we developed a national shipping program and began to ship our treats across the country.
Projections for Year 2 kept us on track to keep " paying the bills". We started up self funded; with nothing but our personal savings. No loans. Equipment was purchased not rented; we kept it simple and overhead was streamlined. We had a little bit of cash on reserves in case of rainy weather; which we expected at some point. Few businesses avoid it entirely. We had big plans to start to build out our Franchising model for a hopeful release in Year 3. Our current location is what we hoped to be the Flagship store to a national brand of scratch style bakeries across the USA.
Covid changed everything. We are 11 months in; sales have been down 40-50% since the end of February. The dining room was closed for 6 months and just recently was re-opened to try and increase our ability to make sales. We have ran specials, takeout, curbside, partnered in promotions with some great companies ( Thanks to Farah & Farah and Watson Realty!! ) and offered the dining room as private rental space after hours. We have tried it all. The last two months have drained our little bit of cash reserves. We have stuck to our mettle and kept our staff on entirely through thick and thin; and were grateful for a PPP loan back in April which allowed us to do that. Our sales are now down 70% and making payroll looked like it was finally at its end last week. The worst had come and I was going to have to let my amazing dedicated team go.
Absolute heartbreak. I have spent 3 years building this place not only with my Crew, but my Sister and my eldest Son. I can't say its not personal. <3
I encouraged them that they needed to take that step and look for employment opportunities outside of Wicked. That I just couldn't guarantee their paychecks any longer...and it wasnt fair to keep them on the hook. I could see the numbers. I was prepared to make the final payroll from my personal account. We made a post on December 19th to our very loyal community who follows us via social media about where we had found ourselves. I had been dreading it for months and saw it all wittling away bit by bit; but it also seemed like it happened so fast !
56 minutes after I shared my post to FB; and while simultaneously crying and answering comments from our guests online ( with loving hugs from my husband, thanks Tim! <3 ) ....our post was shared via First Coast News. An old family friend posted it on the comments I was responding to....otherwise I might not have even seen it. Thank you Ashley :)
That afternoon; guests started coming in ; more than we had seen in weeks. Not quite enough to alert us to what was to come. Over that evening I had several messages from my crew with varying tones of " we arent leaving" ; " I'm not going anywhere" and my favorite " until you remove my keys from my hands" came in from my crew. They won't hear of looking for new jobs. Complete insubordination I tell you :) <3
Shoutouts to the Crew : my sister Kelsie ( and owner) for always having my back but definitely never listening, Sara for her sharp eye and even sharper sense of stubbornness ; Lucky for showing up at my door with a sign for Wicked at 10 pm and not taking No for an answer..ever...; for my son Emery ( and owner) for taking yourself off of payroll and still stubbornly showing up every time you are needed. You are all very stubborn and I love you.
Their belief , the communities belief in us....it was overwhelming.
Sunday morning people were standing outside the doors before opening; streaming inside all day long without cease. ( Including much social distancing).
Social media was blowing up. So many shares from our friends and family, old crews at other restaurants across town. Orders were pouring in. (Some were huge; too big. Thank you Robb!)
By the end of the shift... We made enough to make payroll!! This buys us another 2 weeks to keep going. To keep us together as a crew; for my staff to keep their jobs and for us to keep bringing our community together in a way we think only we can do <3 We made the news AGAIN!! Thank you Jennifer R!!
We have hopes that we will qualify for the next round of PPP loans in time. We are doing everything we can to bridge that gap between now and when something gives. We have been encouraged pretty "aggressively" by some of our most loyal guests and fellow business owners to start this Fundraiser. To allow the community to help hold us up so we can keep serving you. It seems so backwards to ask.
But...
Its more than Cake. It really is. We have cried holding the hands of loved ones during the most sad and the most beautiful moments of their lives : From Weddings to Funerals.....Baby Showers for babies that were prayed so very hard for....1st Birthdays of first Children, the mom who watches her 3 year old eat a cupcake without having to inject him with insulin first, the 5th birthday of a Diabetic child who has never had a cake, the 90th birthday of a Grandpa who hasnt had a birthday cake in 30 years, the Moms who just want to get a treat for both kids but one is diabetic and always gets the "off" thing.... the daily comfort of having somewhere to go when dietary restrictions rule your life ( and the rest of the family can eat too).....so many stories. I could keep telling them and we are only going into Year 3.
We have had the honor of doing not only the Baby Shower Cake, but then the 1st Birthday Cake... And recently the 2nd Birthday Cake all for the SAME little amazing boy and his mama! We want to be here to do his 3rd Birthday Cake....and his 18th!! We love you Odin!!
So here it is. Please help us because we have exhausted all the opportunities we can find; we have used all of our resources...but more than anything because Wicked is worth saving !
All funds will be used expressly for payroll purposes for the next 90 days, this is our normal "slow season" and the combination of it with Covid is our exact pressure point. Our goal is lofty, but anything helps! Any funds above and beyond our Fundraising Goal will be used to purchase a refrigerated vehicle capable of Delivery around our great city, with the additional labor a dedicated driver would require.
#SaveWickedBatter
Organizzatore
Barbara Tharp
Organizzatore
Orange Park, FL
