Two take-out windows, a kitchen full of hopeful food entrepreneurs, and a community that's ready for a paradigm shift in how they eat
Take-Out Windows of Opportunity
What is Kitchener Oakland?
Kitchener is Oakland, California's little kitchen that could. As Oakland's first incubator kitchen, we opened in the Summer of 2012 as a place where start-up food business could cook legally for the public. But we're more than just a commercial kitchen, we're also a community and leaders in the artisan food movement in Oakland. We came on the scene and created quite a stir with our mission: we help burgeoning and talented food makers grow and thrive through a strong kitchen culture that's embracing, accepting, knowledgable, and brimming with insatiable entrepreneurial spirit. That's us, Kitchener Oakland.
The Take-Out Window Project
Imagine a take-out window, shared amongst small food entrepreneurs, that will serve breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and even late night snacks. Imagine a place where burgeoning foodmakers who can't afford their own brick-and-mortars can sell their creations to the public regularly and make a community impact. This is the Kitchener Take-Out Window Project (also known as The Kitchener Snack Bar)
Like a movie theater which offers unique movie experiences at different hours, the Kitchener Snack Bar will offer unique food experiences at all hours of the day and evening. It's a shared take-out window storefront that will rotate different artisan food makers throughout the day, a place where a community of start-up artisan food makers who can't afford their own storefronts can call their shared brick-and-mortar. The Kitchener Snack Bar will give the artisans the opportunity to list store hours on their website and Yelp pages so that customers can find them regularly. It'll also give them exposure they wouldn't have otherwise received by operating a brick-and-mortar with dramatically minimized financial risk. Let's say Huzzah to that!
We'll even offer regular pay-what-you-can meals so that people from all economic situations can have access to fresh and delicious food, no matter what their financial situation. At Kitchener, we believe that access to fresh food is a human right, and it's a right we'd like defend, encourage, and enable.
And when our take-out windows are open, you'll find us open on First Fridays - the monthly street party in Oakland where all of Oakland comes out to party and celebrate Oakland's vibe and culture! After all, we're just a stone's throw from the celebration's ground zero.
And for people who love parklets - beautiful outdoor eating areas that sit on former parking spaces - we're petitioning for a parklet so that eaters can enjoy the take-out window food right outside the kitchen. And when the parklet happens, we'll serve beer and wine on the parklet and Kitchener will become a fresh face in al fresco wining and dining.
Here's how the money will be used:
- Sign: $2000
- Exterior Paint: $350
- Awning: $1500
- Electrical: $1500
- Handwashing sink + plumbing: $5000
- Interior, windows, counter, equipment: $9000
- Permits: $3000
- Architect + Designer: $2500+
- TOTAL: $25,000
We have two windows side-by-side so you can experience a "double feature" take-out experience during the same visit. Here's what a typical day at the Kitchener Snack Bar might look like:
Help us make the Kitchener Snack Bar into a reality! We'd love to feed people all hours of the day and night, whenever a hunger hankering hits. Oakland food scene is on an upswing, and we'd love to contribute to the energy and momentum that's making our city a safer, happier, and (even) more delicious place.
Thank you for supporting the smallest of small foodmakers and for supporting the "Take-Out Windows of Opportunity." With your help, you'll be giving group of talented artisans who can't afford their own storefronts a chance to grow their businesses via a unique restaurant concept and feed a city of people - of all demographics - small-batch artisan food made with Oakland flavor and soul.
All our rewards will be provided by the Kitchener artisan food makers themselves, so whatever you can give you'll receive in repayment from our community of artisan food makers!
Kitchener Snack Bar - Here we come!
Risks and challenges Learn about accountability on Kickstarter
We realize there are potential risks to this project, so we've come up with several back up plans as we'd like to see this mission through to completion within the first half of 2014. We have the help of the City of Oakland, the Alameda County Health Department, a seasoned architect, and of our fervent supporters so we're very confident the Kitchener Snack Bar will come to fruition.
A few things to note:
- The architectural plans for the Kitchener Snack Bar Project (floor plan and elevations) have already been drawn up and are currently being reviewed by the health department. The green light looks imminent, and once that happens, the City of Oakland reviews then approves the plans for building. If the plans do not get approved, a revision of the plans should solve the issue.
- The artisans at Kitchener are onboard and are gung-ho about the project! We've also reached out to other food makers in Oakland who do not have a brick-and-mortars who we'd like to collaborate with as well so there are always delicious food options being offered at the Kitchener Snack Bar. In Oakland, the general sentiment between food makers is that we all want to see each other succeed, and to share resources is the least we can do to help each other survive.
- In the event that the project goes over budget, we'll make another grassroots push to raise money via crowdfunding and fundraisers to make the Kitchener Snack Bar happen.
The windows HAVE to happen for the good of the small food artisans in Oakland. And we can't wait to share them with you once they're built and open for business!
FAQ
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The Kitchener Snack Bar will be located at our current location at 372 24th Street in Oakland. We are converting what's currently a 200 square foot office and two office windows into two take-out windows which will become the Kitchener Snack Bar. The Snack Bar will operate alongside the commercial kitchen operations so when you order food at the take-out windows, you might catch a glimpse of the food artisans hard at work in the kitchen!
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The short answer is possibly. We do have a full-roster of Kitchener artisans who will get top priority to use the Kitchener Snack Bar as their storefront daily, but we'll be setting aside times for non-Kitchener groups to come in and pop-up from the windows as well.
And if you are interested in vending from our windows as a non-Kitchener artisan, here are our parameters. A application form will be made available after our windows are built:
- We look for foodmakers that vibe with our Kitchener culture and spirit (we look for friendly, personable, community-minded food artisans that produce food with quality ingredients and care).
- We look for groups with products that do not compete directly with the products produced by Kitchener artisans.
- Any group that vends from the take-out windows would also need to have $1 million coverage in product liability insurance and we'd require that Kitchener Oakland be added on their policy as additionally insured. This should only happen after approval for vending at the windows.
- There's a highly reasonable per hour fee for vending from the windows that's on par with stand fees at farmer's markets.
- Each food artisan will be responsible for taking their own payments (i.e. cash, credit card). And because we live within a bigger system where our productivity and earning capacity can help others and keep our municipalities running, we ask that the food makers not evade taxes from earnings made from the windows :)
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- Sophia Chang 982 friends
- Website: kitcheneroakland.com
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SHIPPABLE CARAMEL LOVER'S BOX: 12 handmade caramels by Plate Craft and (1) 7oz bag of candied bacon caramel corn made by Chunky Pig (pick-up and shipping)
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CHEESE ROLLS AND MEAL DEAL: You'll get (one) 16 pack of frozen, ready-to-bake Brazilian cheese rolls made by Sabor Brasil and 2.5 meals ($25 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar! YUM! (Pick-up only)
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SPONSORSHIP PLEDGE: Your pledge will give a low income family within Oakland 5.5 meals (a $55 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar. This family can be selected by the donor or Kitchener will work with local non-profits to identify a family that needs a few good warm meals. Your name or organization will be recognized as a charitable donor (optional)
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An assorted pack of vegan and gluten-free and organic chocolates made without refined sugars by Alternative Delectable Delights (A.D.D.): 3 teacups, 6 chocolate salty balls, 3 pieces of chocolate/almond/pumpkin seed brittle (pick-up or delivery)
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(6) 5" individual chicken or vegetarian pot pies (frozen) made by Pie Hole (pick-up only)
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Puff Daddy Box: 6 dozen assorted artisan marshmallows made by Sugar Knife Artisan Sweets (pick-up or delivery)
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8" specialty cake made by Lulamae Bakes (pick-up only)
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SPONSORSHIP PLEDGE: Your pledge will give a low income family within Oakland 11.5 meals (a $115 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar. This family can be selected by the donor or Kitchener will work with local non-profits to identify a family that needs a few good warm meals. Your name or organization will be recognized as a charitable donor (optional)
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Feed yourself for days! You'll get 11.5 meals (a $115 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar!
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12 assorted Argentine empanadas (chicken, beef, cheese/onion, ham/cheese), baked or frozen, made by Javi's Cooking (pick-up only)
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Feed yourself for days! You'll get 6 whole meals (a $60 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar!
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An assorted pack of vegan and gluten-free and organic chocolates made without refined sugars by Alternative Delectable Delights (A.D.D.): 3 teacups, 6 chocolate salty balls, 3 pieces of chocolate/almond/pumpkin seed brittle (pick-up or delivery) and (6) 5" individual chicken or vegetarian pot pies (frozen) made by Pie Hole (pick-up only)
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BBQ SET: 4 oz tin of BBQ spice rub, 4 oz tin of smoked ginger spice rub, 8 oz jar of Kansas City style BBQ sauce, 4 oz. jar of raw honey & bourbon BBQ glaze, BBQ apron, BBQ grilling fork, spice rub usage recipe, sauce usage recipe. Made by Keena's Kitchen (pick-up or shipping)
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SWEET SHIPPABLE BOX: 12 handmade sea salt caramels by Plate Craft; a 7oz bag of candied bacon caramel corn by Chunky Pig; vegan chocolate - 3 teacups, 6 chocolate salty balls, 3 pieces of bark by A.D.D.; 6 dozen assorted marshmallows by Sugar Knife (pick-up or shipping)
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FRESH STROOPIES FOR A PARTY: The Stroopie Gourmet will make/serve traditional caramel stroopwafels at a private event, within the Bay Area, for up to 50 servings.
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SPONSORSHIP PLEDGE: Your pledge will give a low income family within Oakland 24 meals (a $240 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar. This family can be selected by the donor or Kitchener will work with local non-profits to identify a family that needs a few good warm meals. Your name or organization will be recognized as a charitable donor (optional)
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This is our favorite deal! You'll receive 12 whole meals (a $120 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar!
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This is our favorite deal! You'll receive 24 whole meals (a $240 value) at the Kitchener Snack Bar!
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BRITISH TEA-TIME: 13 assorted British pasties (cornish, chicken & mushroom, and veggie curry), 13 Yorkshire scones, lemon curd, and sampling of 3 teas made by The Pie Shop (pick-up only)
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This is the philanthropist's donation. This reward will sponsor the food artisans for a MONTH of free window time at the snack bar, and you get to pick the month. You'll be giving the food artisans a huge advantage by providing free window time. You'll be publicly thanked on our social media pages as well as on the windows themselves during the month you sponsor!
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