Callie Ash owns The Baker’s Boutique, a small bakery opened in April of 2013. Ash has had a long interest in baking, and after going to culinary school at Mesa State College, Ash got her first job as a pastry chef at Spoons Bistro in Grand Junction.
When Baker’s Boutique was first created, Ash had a business partner. Ash was only planning on helping out with the shop, but after her partner left, she decided to continue. When the shop first opened, it was located in a small business center off Patterson. It did not take long before Ash realized that she would need a new shop, since so much of their business came from walk-ins.
Around that same time, Ash thought about a house near Canyon View park and mentioned to her husband that it would be the perfect location. Shortly after, the property came up for sale and Ash and her husband purchased it.
After a few years and a lot of hard work, The Baker’s Boutique was able to move into it’s current location right in front of Canyon View park. Now, it is one of the busiest parks in Grand Junction. The new location has an outdoor patio, a coffee bar and a variety of flavors of cupcakes that change each day.
Being right next to Canyon View park has greatly improved business, and Baker’s Boutique is planning to add ice cream to their menu, as well as extend their hours for evening park goers. Down the road, Ash is also hoping to add lunch foods to her menu, such as paninis, salads and wraps, as well as snack boxes for kids that will include a mini cupcake.
“I have to walk before I can run,” Ash said about her plans for the future.“My goal is to pay off all my bills and make minimum wage for myself for the hours I put it.”
There are ups and downs when it comes to starting your own business.
“When you open a business they tell you don’t expect to earn any money the first three to five years. Of course, we didn’t believe that and of course it was true,” Ash said. “You think it’s going to be okay not taking a salary and [putting] money [in] it but it gets really old really quick working so hard and not having anything to show for it.”
When asked if she had any advice for people hoping to start their own business, Ash said, “You have to be passionate about what you’re doing, make it something that you truly love doing because you will be doing it a lot. Have a really good business plan and think everything through. Get the true costs.”
While it is cheaper to do everything yourself, there can be so much to do and it can be overwhelming and you have to chose between your sanity and the money.
“I like being my own boss, when I make a decision I know that is how it is going to be,” Ash said.
