Opening A Business

Jacqueline,
Your worries are over!! Your in luck!! I am ready to retire. Just move back, work a year and buy it. Just kidding! although the plan is for my associates to buy it. I'm sure they would love to have someone with your passion involved.
I make myself totally available to a fellow Texan for questions and such. You may want to use PM or email as not to write lenghty posts. You will also get a wealth of information from those here. Just keep posting all your thoughts and questions.
This is going to be a huge step for you, but keep in mind, no risk no reward. I waited too long to start. I took the plunge 14 yrs ago and have never regreted anything. Don"t get misled by that, it's grueling and very nerve racking in the beginning.
Post some of you ideas from your business plan. You're very smart planning now for it is a nightmare to get capital for any type of food place here. I researched the local business for 3 yrs before even doing a business plan. The major reason for our sucess is that I learned that it is clearly difficult to open retail without the operating capital. You just cannot live out of the registar and it is even more difficult to get capital for operating expences. All the retailers I met with opened retail and developed wholesale business to survive. I decided to build the wholesale business first. This took 3 yrs and the transition into retail was smooth with monies comming in from wholesale to cover the start up of retail. I've kept if very small, 1500 sq ft retail and introduced us to the community as a family business which we are. I've had numerous oportunities to expand, open more locations etc. but decided to keep it the way it is. We've managed to become a tradition with the local community for specialty cakes and have narrowed our wedding cake service to within 12 sq miles. We have not advertized as of yet. Knock on wood.
You're welcome to visit whenever home, talk with all of us working there. Each person has a percentage of the business. My pastry chef has been with me for 18 yrs. Have a newbie, from ElCentro, who has been here 3-4 yrs as she finishes her schooling. etc. They are all available to you to chat.
GTG
Pan

Just wanted to add my 2 cents...you probably don't remember me but a few years back you gave me great advice on starting my business...Thanks again for the advice and Jacqueline, Panini is a fountain of information and inspiration, he will give you the good and bad about starting a business and trust me you will thank the stars for that info, the good info keeps you going and gives you the positive reinforcement you need to take that first giant leap into business and the the bad keeps you grounded so that you're prepared for the hard work, etc. All the folks here are great, full of information, recipe help, tech help, the full monty! GTG Micheline