what are you going to sell?

I have been having more and more conversations about this dream of mine and everytime I talk to guys I get a puzzled look and the following statement "what are you going to sell?"

It might be hard to imagine that this generation is embracing traditional values in a modern way. We aren't closed minded and uninterested in the world but we do want to make personal connections with friends, family, and community at large. We no longer want to "buy" our place in society but rather we want to earn it. We want our families to grow with some tradition that does not involve a quick trip through the drive through. Not everyone can be a Betty Crocker but everyone can bake something and that's what I am going to sell.

So many people think that the world is only going to be online and that everything is going to be bought and sold online exclusively but people like to feel connected and they are willing to pay a little more for some things to cover the expenses of the overhead that come with that connection. A real store, brick and mortar, provides a meeting place, allows you the opportunity to touch and taste and ask questions.

I decided that I really don't want to sell all the small appliances that go with baking (the kitchen aid mixers, the food processors, blendors etc) they can all be bought online or at mass retail outlets and while I will have them in the store and reference them on the website it just doesn't make sense to sell them. I want to see the ingredients and tools used to bake. Cookbooks, interesting tools, chocolate, extracts, flours, sugars, fancy things, basic things, some hardware.. I want to keep the prices reasonable but in reality there will be items in the store at every price point. My goal is to never have anyone leave the store without at least buying something.

But most importantly.. what I am selling is that old fashioned connection with a modern assist. No online store but certainly an online community.