A new endeavor with bumps along the way

As all new endeavors go, there’s bound to be a couple bumps in the road.  The initial Health Department inspection this week did not go as planned.  PPC was sent back into fabrication for a couple updates to the cart.  The final – final inspection is now set for Monday.  If all goes as planned the Grand Opening will now be May 29^th.  Fingers Crossed!

A Community Kitchen at Eastern Market?

The commercial kitchen movement is on at Eastern Market.  I attended a Focus Group last week about the feasablity of a Commercial Kitchen at the Market.  Below are the details.  If you, or someone you know might be interested, please see reach out and let us know your thoughts.

Eastern Market Corporation (EMC) is interested in establishing a commercial kitchen at Eastern Market that can offer a fully equipped kitchen facility to rent on part-time basis. This licensed kitchen facility will help entrepreneurs, specialty food processors, farmers, caterers and other small and medium size food businesses to develop, prepare or process value added products at reasonable rental rates on a flexible time-share basis. Users share equipment and other facilities associated with food preparation, storage and product development. Depending on users needs, the plan is to make available equipment like ovens, ranges, refrigerators, freezers, mixers, food processors, slicers, worktables, kitchen utensils, and others including storage space.

Closer….. Closer….. Almost there!

The cart has made extraordinary progress over the last few weeks.  Superb Fabricating has gone above and beyond!  The stainless steel sides are attached and ready for the final touches.  Because building the People’s Pierogi Brand is so important, I’ve spent a little more than planned on vinyl graphics for the cart!  I’m sure it will be worth it in the long run.  The custom napkins just arrived yesterday.  Babushkas are on order.   Overall, it’s the little touches that make the big difference!

In the midst of coordinating the print details, I also researched Accordion Players in the Metro Detroit Area.  Though social media outreach, I came across The Michigan Accordion Society.  They were established in 1996 and are 150 members strong.   Unbelievable!  What a great organization.  I reached out to them expressing my interest in an accordion player to join in the shenanigans down at Eastern Market.  The next day, they send me a list of 20 phone numbers of Polka Enthusiasts!  I can’t wait to hear “Who Stole the Kishka” and “Roll Out the Barrel” live.  Perhaps, we can make it a monthly treat to PPC Customers  – Pierogies and Polka.  What do you think?

A Work in Progress

The last few weeks have been an aggressive work in progress.  As you can tell from the photos the pierogi cart is under-way.  I am hoping to have construction completed by mid-April.  Fingers crossed!  Thank you Superb Fabricating!

In addition, the juggling has begun.   In between working / freelancing in advertising and marketing ,  I’m also in the midst of starting the company (PPC) from the ground up.  I can relate to many entrepreneurs’ experience trying to keep all balls in the air.  In the end, it all finds a way to work together.  Time management is key!  If you want it, make the time.  And remember “small bites”.

This Friday is D-Day.  My final exam for ServSafe Certification.  I can’t believe how much information there is to digest (no pun intended).  I was able to review the text book prior to. . . . What an education!  I couldn’t believe  the varieties of foodborn illness:  pathogens, viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins.  I’d recommend all cooks to be versed in precautionary habits – not just the restaurant industry.

Back to studying. . . .

from Martha’s Home and My Home to Yours

Today, my magazine subscription to Martha Stewart Living arrived in the mail.  Could you imagine my surprise to find Martha – Goddess of the Kitchen – professing her love of Pierogies?  She (or her editor) described them with such passion:

“Everyone in our family was and still is crazy about these little boiled dumplings, concocted  from a round of tender, plain dough.  The half-moon shape is formed around a savory or sweet filing, carefully designed to delight the eater with a soft pillow of potato, a burst of sweet-tart blueberries, or a delicate apricot, pit removed and cavity filled with crunch Demerar sugar and unsalted butter.”

 

I’m getting hungry already!  Anyhow, the article got me thinking about food and its nostalgia.  It’s amazing how a smell or a single bite can bring you back to a specific moment of time.  For me, the smells of cabbage, kielbasa and dough filled goodness take me back to my grandparents and their love of cooking together.  I can remember sitting at the kitchen table, watching as they finely sliced cabbage and rolled out the dough for homemade noodles.  The air filled with dinner’s warmth and of course, Polish banter. 

As a marketing and advertising gal, it’s my goal to transcribe that feeling into People’s Pierogi Collective brand.  Let’s hope I can do my grandmother’s kitchen proud!

 

Networking in the D: Cross Branding Opportunities

Eastern Market, Detroit – Meeting Success!  Needless to say, my organizational ducks were in a row.

Logo finalized – check

Plans submitted to the Health Department – check

3D Drawings of the trailer – check

Product samples – check

Overall, a great meeting.  A funny thing happened in my conversation -  new opportunities presented themselves.  Cross Branding.  Believe it or not, in the small entrepreneurial world of Detroit there’s a sauerkraut and sausage maker.  Who would have dreamed such harmony in the world of pierogies?  Plus, continuing the mantra ”Made in Michigan” is key in PPC’s growth.  I must reach out….

I also became acquainted with a support and educational group called Open City Detroit.  Open City is a forum for aspiring and current business owners to exchange ideas and information about doing business in the city.  They hold meetings every third Tuesday at Cliff Bells.  I’m planning on attending next month’s meet up.  I’ll keep you posted.

I also met with the Commissary CS&T.  For those of you who have no idea what a commissary is, you’re not alone.  Until I had my first awkward conversation with the health department I hadn’t a clue!  (There was no faking I knew what I was talking about.)  Basically a commissary is an “approved” place to keep your food cart/trailer.  You can purchase food, paper goods, fill up with H2O, dump, etc.  Great people and very knowledgable (perfect for hand holding through the process).  

Everything is beginning to come together.  But, still more on the list – ServSafe Training (so I’m able to handle food properly without making the public sick – very important!), marketing, advertising, building the cart – just a few small details.

I’m actually starting to feel like a legitimate business.  Watch out!  Kim Stricker, PPC Owner and Chief Pierogi Maker

Government Approvals

It’s been a while since my first posting….. although I haven’t been sitting around.  Since December of last year, I’ve been pulling together a formal business plan and reviewing specs on hot dog carts that will be converted into my very own Pierogi cart.  It’s been an interesting and educational process for a marketing gal none the less!  Who knew of all the legalities and ins-and-outs of a starting a pierogi business?

After hours of Googling  ”hot-dog cart business” and digging around on various sites, I’ve finally finished the business plan.  Along with the plans in hand, I also began discussions with the Oakland County Health Department to get licensed to sell “mobile” food in the State of Michigan.  At first the county was miffed….. a pierogi stand?!?!  I think they felt mercy for my ignorance of starting a food business from the ground up without any professional food experience whatsoever.  Since our initial call, they’ve more than accommodated my requests and have held my hand pointing me in the right direction.  Now, I just wait for their final approval.  

Once approved construction can begin on the stand.  I’ve chosen the engineering and manufacturing expertise of Superb Fabricating.  Not only do they engineer just about everything under the sun out of metal, but I happen to know the owner – Herb Superb!

Next week….  I have a meeting with Eastern Market to review plans and booth set-up.  I’m taking along a few pierogi samples…. nothing like sweetening the deal!

What is The People’s Piergoi Collective?

In 2008 alone, Americans consumed more than 31 million pierogi. To feed the public’s hunger for pierogi, Kimberly Stricker established “The People’s Pierogi Collective (PPC)” with the intentions of launching a revolutionary Pierogi Stand within Eastern Market.

In addition to the entrepreneurial business aspect of selling piergoies, PPC is a Marketing Experiment. What would happen if a Marketing and Advertising Executive were to build a product from the ground up with a “Collective” advice group from other industry associates? PPC will answer the hypothesis.

The online blog www.ThePeoplesPiergoi.com will be written with the weekly “trials-and-tribulations” of starting and operating a business from the ground floor.

Kimberly Stricker will share her knowledge and experience with not just the Detroit market, but on an international level. The good, the bad and “nonsense” of the business and entrepreneurial spirit will be in detail. PPC will engage online blog readers and Detroit Eastern Market shoppers in this revolutionary pierogi phenomenon.