The Birth of a Small Business Incubator

During 2011 San Francisco was experiencing a street level culinary renaissance with the popularity of food trucks and pop-up chef events permeating the culture. This was precipitated by an abundance of cultural diversity, a gastronomically curious public, and the ever-rising cost of living. These food entrepreneurs needed avenues to side-step cost prohibitive startup overhead for both production and retail opportunities. Quite a few of these roaming operations were skirting the entire system by preparing food in residential kitchens, working outside health department hours, and depositing profits directly into their personal bank accounts via smart phone credit card swipes. |opportunity| At the time, I was managing a property which had thirteen months remaining on the lease and an underutilized commissary kitchen. With a $600 investment towards installation of a food service window, the incubator was launched.

60 companies, including traveling chefs from Los Angeles and New York served breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night offerings while participating in the program. These businesses ranged from grass roots startups to well established organizations promoting new products and ventures. After six months the program garnered national press in Zagat Guide.

The Window was created to provide food entrepreneurs an affordable certified kitchen for production, retail, and brand development opportunities. Participant Requirements:

• professional logo, active Twitter handle, Square account, and food handlers permit ($15)
• signed operations agreement detailing responsibilities, sanitation standards, and code of conduct
• $30 per hour for use of the commercial kitchen, retail window & sidewalk dining

The program provided resources, including operating insurance, promotional support, and entrepreneurial mentorship, for new businesses. In addition, the program also acted as a liaison to the Department of Health in streamlining the applications process. By the second month, The Window was in stride with fifty events performed by eighteen businesses. Some of the businesses that have opened brick and mortar locations in San Francisco since participating include Salumeria, Soup Junkie, Crepe Madame, Good Foods Catering, BCT Belly Burgers, Seoul Patch, and City Smoke House to name a few.