Lessons from a Cottage Bakery in the Wild
What happens when you have a bad market?
I’ve been asked countless times, “What do you do when you don’t sell out?”
The short answer: we lean on friends, family, and kindness. Then we take an honest look at what went well, what didn’t, and what we can learn for next time.
A Tough Couple of Weekends
Recently, we had two particularly rough weekends in a row. First, we attended a newer farmers market that simply didn’t have the foot traffic we expected. Once it was clear things weren’t going well, we scrambled to set up an “emergency pop-up.” A friend let us use the sidewalk outside their gaming store, which at least gave us a bit of visibility with their community.
It didn’t go great—but it went better. And surprisingly, it opened the door to an opportunity we didn’t see coming (more on that in a minute). Still, we ended the weekend with a lot of leftovers. We donated much of it to the fire station, froze what little we could (we still don’t have a second freezer), and turned the rest into breadcrumbs and croutons. We would’ve loved to sell them, but the quality just wasn’t there. It was, simply put, a loss.
The Second Weekend Setback
The following weekend, our next venue warned us that weather might force a location change. That didn’t worry us—until they announced they were canceling all outdoor attractions and relocating vendors to a cramped clubhouse activity room. We made the hard call to cancel. We couldn’t afford back-to-back losses.
Thankfully, a couple of friends placed orders that week, giving us just enough support to bridge the gap until our next event.
The Unexpected Win
Then came the surprise. Remember the gaming store that let us set up outside? They were hosting a convention, game demo day, and vendor market. Naturally, we signed up. We had no idea what turnout to expect, so—at our youngest baking partner’s wise suggestion—we baked a little less.
We sold out in four hours.
But the best part wasn’t selling out.
It was the people.
No one asked if we made gluten-free.
No one criticized us for not using 100% fresh-milled flour.
No one bragged about how they “could make it at home.”
The gaming community is incredible. Supportive. Curious. Kind. And honestly? A joy to bake for.
What We Learned
These weekends taught us to evaluate our events more carefully. We now research every market, prepare for leftovers, and pay attention to how responsive organizers are. We check whether events are being promoted, how they’ve performed in past years, and whether they’re a good fit for our community.
I wish I could say we’ve cracked the code for identifying a perfect market—but there’s no single trait that guarantees success.
Our Plan Going Forward
1. Avoid “free-for-vendor” events.
They’re often crowded with first-time food vendors (not all following cottage law) and tend to be oversaturated with similar products.
2. Check event history.
A three-year track record with visible social media activity is a strong sign that an event is organized and supported.
3. Prioritize “Rain or Shine” policies.
This tells us the organizers mean business and won’t let weather wash away four days of prep and materials.
4. Seek our community.
We thrive when serving the people who truly enjoy what we do—animal lovers, gamers, families, and folks who appreciate food that’s both delicious and nourishing.
We’re Still Learning
Every weekend teaches us something new, and we’re grateful for the lessons—even the tough ones. If our experience helps another small vendor avoid a misstep, all the better.
Feel free to reach out to us on social media and share your thoughts or your own market stories. We love hearing from our community.
A Final Arcane Thought
Every market, good or bad, adds a little more lore to our journey. Some days feel like rolling a natural 1, others like discovering a hidden treasure chest—but each one teaches us a spell we didn’t know we needed. As we continue baking our way through festivals, game nights, and cozy community gatherings, we’re grateful to every traveler who stops by our little corner of the realm.
May your week be warm, your table full, and your bread always rise with a bit of magic.
From all of us at Arcane Oven, thanks for being part of our story.
