HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE — Heather Kramer and Amy Mathews are convinced they have the expertise. They also believe they found the perfect market niche.
But as of Wednesday, they still needed $63,750 to open a full-service, artisan bakery in Lower Lake — and time was running short.
June 9 is the deadline.
“I”m holding on to the dream,” Kramer said. “Somehow, somewhere, someone”s going to come through.”
That “someone” isn”t a loan officer at a bank. More than likely, it”ll be a fan of the Kramer”s hand-designed chocolates or specialty jams, or anyone else who can afford to get behind someone else”s dream, with no real strings attached.
That”s how Kickstarter, the for-profit New York City company whose website helps people raise funds for creative projects, works.
Kramer and Mathews, the “Two Chicks” in an online bakery business called “Two Chicks Tasty Treats,” are using Kickstarter to try and raise money to launch a brick-and-mortar bakery in Lower Lake, a place where they”re convinced their custom cakes and specialty desserts will be a big hit.
But their one-month window to raise $65,000 is closing fast. As of Wednesday, 10 people, all of whom they know, had chipped in a total of $1,250 — less than 2 percent of their goal.
“It”s all or nothing with Kickstarter,” Kramer said. “You have to reach your goal or the money goes back.”
Kickstarter would be the middleman in a successful launching, taking 5 percent of the money raised.
It”s not exactly charity the women are seeking — though “backers” won”t be paid back.
In the case of “Two Chicks,” a backer who contributed, say, $5,000 to the new bakery would receive a membership to both their Cookie of the Month and Jam of the Month clubs, which is worth a dozen cookies and two jars of jam every month for a year. The backer”s name would also be placed on the “Founding Feathers” plaque in the new shop.
Kramer says Lake County needs the type of bakery she and her partner have in mind.
“You have to drive (from Lake County) to Napa to find the kind of full-service bakery we want to open,” said Kramer, 49, a former hospital administrator in Southern California who got into creating artisan sweets in 2008 for health reasons.
“The hospital job was very high-stress,” she said — something her doctor pointed out during an office visit a few years ago.
“I wasn”t feeling well so I saw my doctor — and four hours later, I was having heart surgery,” she said.
Since then, Kramer has found a new home (Hidden Valley Lake) and a new career.
“It”s something that really helps me unwind,” she said of her love for the art of baking. “It”s also something I think is beneficial to the community.”
When she talks of the “art” of her work, it goes beyond the baking part. Her chocolates are hand-decorated. “I like fine needlepoint,” she said. “I think it really is an art. I use the same skill in my decorating.”
And because Kickstarter is primarily a tool for artists — painters, novelists, moviemakers, etc. ? it”s the artisan angle that Kramer is emphasizing.
“All-or-nothing funding might seem scary,” the Kickstarter website stated, “but it”s amazingly effective in creating momentum and rallying people around an idea.”
At least it has been for other some artists. According to Kramer, 44 percent of projects have reached their funding goals.
According to the website, more than 4.1 million people have pledged over $630 million to fund 42,000 creative projects since its inception in 2009.
“My spirits are flagging but I”m not going to let this go,” she said. “If it doesn”t work this time, we”ll regroup and probably try again.”
Rich Mellott is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636, ext. 14 or rmellott@record-bee.com.
