Moving Part 1: The Hunt & the Jump

Feb 7, 2025

About a year ago, Piedmont Pennies, my small business cheese cracker company, was outgrowing our kitchen and warehouse spaces. Teammates were bumping into each other during production, deliveries had nowhere to sit when dropped off, and small tiffs with subleasees (who were also growing) showed me we needed space to call our own.

This gut feeling that it’s time for a change is vaguely familiar to me…

• Fall 2020 - Three months in business, we outgrew Blue Dogwood Public Market on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, NC
• Summer 2021 - We moved to Charlotte, and outgrew Carolina Commercial Kitchen 
• Spring 2022 - We outgrew another subleased kitchen and outfitted our own kitchen in their loading dock space (thank you, NC IDEA SEED grant!)
• Spring 2023 - As production increased, we subleased additional warehouse space near the CLT airport (thank you Rick, my FedEx sales representative, for connecting me with Ty, another amazing entrepreneur with extra space… If you ask you may receive).
• Spring 2024 - When the warehouse sublease ended, we moved to a one year warehouse lease in South Charlotte

You’d think I’d get the picture by now… Moving is a hassle and is expensive. Why don’t you get a space big enough for the next several years? Not months! Easier said than done, muchacho. 

First, in 2024, we were waiting on the outcome of co-packing trials to see if we were going to outsource production. Failed product quality and pricing difficulties, led me to the tough decision (and investment) to keep production in-house and search for a kitchen and warehouse space under one roof, we could call our own.

Second, the commercial real estate market is expensive, especially in Charlotte. Global competition for warehousing, price inflation and REIT landlords with high expectations made it all the more difficult. If a three year old small business cheese cracker company is competing for a warehouse against a thirty-year old, global plumbing supply company… Who is the safer tenant in the eyes of the landlord? 

Side note: One landlord wanted six months rent as a security deposit before I signed the lease. *Enter my icky gut feeling.* Why would I tie up that much capital in a security deposit, when I need it for marketing and working capital to grow? Safe to say, we walked away from that deal. 

Third, it’s scary. Finding a new warehouse/kitchen meant committing to a five year (or more) lease and shelling out thousands of dollars for the move and commercial kitchen upfit. I’ve heard a thousand times, “When looking for space, get more space than you think you need…”, which makes sense. However, your rent/utilities/insurance must be an affordable fixed cost increase, which can be a big jump for a bootstrapped business. My mindset was, pay for what we can (safely) afford, focus on profitability, quality, and taking care of your team.

Long story show, after countless hours on LoopNet.com, late night tears to Coble, driving hundreds of miles up 85, visits to thirty plus warehouses, and two redlined leases that failed… and fifteen days before the end of our kitchen lease… We signed the lease to our new Piedmont Pennies Headquarters location in Matthews, NC. (Super cute suburb in Southeast Charlotte).

The day I signed the lease I came to the realization that I’d have to take a jump, into a slightly more expensive and larger space, without all the answers (What’s the electrical load? Are the floor drains manageable? Are the neighbors nice?) in order to do what Piedmont Pennies needs to grow. 

Sometimes you have to make the jump before you can see the other side. 

Next week, read how our commercial ovens wouldn’t fit, our pallet jack broke, and we over drafted our bank account… It’s always something! 

Stay Cheesin!

Becca

P.S. If you’d like to help Pennies during this transition, order Pennies and merch at piedmontpennies.com or support a local retailer near you. We are shipping orders Monday - Friday (while supplies last…) and your orders give our team purpose and momentum during this transition. Thank you for being a Penny Pal! 

 

P.P.S. Scenes from our current warehouse... I mean, it wouldn’t be my design choice but… The previous tenant loved skulls. Thankfully, it’s an easy paint fix, not a bad omen 🙂