NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Nashville bakery is letting customers decide what they can afford to pay for sweet treats, creating a flexible business model that prioritizes community accessibility over profit margins.
Dot's Place Bakery, has introduced a pay-what-you-can system. The bakery, which has supplied cookies and scones to Nashville coffee shops for several years and now has a pop-up spot at Nelson's Drum Shop in East Nashville, launched this new approach to make their products accessible to everyone.
"Every single item – you determine the price of that item," said co-owner Rebecca Kaufmann said.
The concept stems from recognizing that financial situations vary widely among customers. Kaufmann, who describes baking as a lifelong hobby, wanted to ensure that budget constraints wouldn't prevent anyone from enjoying a treat.
"Affordability is so relative, we wanted to make this affordable for every single person," she said. "So whatever affordability is for you, that's what we want you to pay for our items."
As a parent herself, Kaufmann understands the common scenario of children asking for cookies while parents weigh the cost.
"I mean our cookies are at eye level with the kids," she said. "They come up, every single day I have a little kid run up and they're like mom can I get this?! And they're like okay, how much is it?"
The pay-what-you-can model benefits both customers and the business. While some customers pay less than traditional market prices, others appreciate the trust-based system and the bakery's commitment to community financial well-being.
"Sure I have several people who will pay less than what I would charge on a market or an event, but that's what I want," she said. "If that's what you can afford, that's what you can afford and that's the point of doing this."
The approach allows customers to treat themselves without financial stress, creating a sustainable way for the community to access quality baked goods regardless of their current budget situation.
"So I want you to be able to get a treat every single day and not worry about breaking the bank," Kaufmann said.
To learn more about their pop-up location, click here.
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