Boulangerie Levain
“Wholesale croissants for six cafés are 30% of revenue and zero queue.”
CRCamille Roux · Boulangerie Levain · Since 2017
12-mo revenue$628,290+6% vs last yearSumUp + Open Banking
!Your budget is under half the typical cost to start ($96.6k). Businesses that started this under-funded closed far more often, unless they bought used equipment or started smaller.
Based on 99 real bakeries in the US, including 43 that closed.
!Your budget is about $115k short.
Bills run about $7,000 a month (fuel, insurance, rent, phone). Most owners make a profit after about 11 months. Keep this much aside to pay bills until then.
Health department food permit, about $300 to $1,000.
Food manager certificate (for example ServSafe).
A written food safety plan. Inspectors ask to see it.
Fire inspection and certificate of occupancy.
Form an LLC with your state ($50 to $500). Get a free tax number (EIN) from the IRS.
Free to about $15 a month. Keeps business money apart from yours.
Before costs. December peak.
| Slow | Typical | Strong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $9k | $16k | $28.4k |
| Year 3 | $23.8k | $38.1k | $61.1k |
| Year 5 | $29.9k | $49.5k | $82.2k |
Slow: 1 in 4 make less than this. Typical: half make more, half make less. Strong: 1 in 4 make more than this.
“Wholesale croissants for six cafés are 30% of revenue and zero queue.”
Dough & Co's first bakery was profitable. The second, opened in 2023 on borrowed money, never covered its rent, and its losses drained the cash the first shop needed. Nina Russo closed both in March 2025.
Sets up your books and files your first tax return.
$140k
about $217k
Starting costs about $77.1k less. Buying costs more, but you earn from the first month and skip the risky early years.