Once again, I would like to propose the following use for the Castle. With help from the local government via tax holiday, etc. and combining an artisan baking school with a for-profit local bread company as a positive use for this site.
The school would make use of the rooms for its students, which would bring outside funds to the economy from fees for classes, purchase of local goods, gas, entertainment and more from family and friends who would visit them. Along with the budding wine industry, local youth could gain training to stay and work in their hometowns, in the food industry. Wine tasting rooms could offer the artisan breads and high quality pastries in their outlets.
Secondly, because of the ongoing high cost of shipping, a quality bread baking company, with a customer base of all the towns around the lake, grocery stores restaurants and even fast food outlets, would have a customer base large enough to be very profitable. It would cost less for shipping products to the marketplace. Labeling of products could advertise Lake County and its communities, such as Upper Lake Whole Wheat and The Oak”s Old World Rye.
Tourists could take these products home and others would see them. The graphics on the packaging would fall into the picture is worth a thousand words bracket.
This would add year-round jobs for production center help, delivery service, janitorial, housekeeping, teachers, management, administration and vehicle upkeep.
The school would also attract both locals and tourists to a onsite retail sales unit for the goods the students produce.
Sales of supplies to the school and bakery could gain more local business income. Advertising fees for resorts and other business could be gained from ads on packaging and delivery trucks. Local events could be promoted the same way.
Jim Hall
Clearlake Oaks
