Field Trip to Rykes

Last Wednesday the applied math class and sophomore math class went on a field trip to Rykes bakery. We went there to ask questions about running a small business and to see what it takes to run a successful business such as Rykes.

We learned that there is so much more to a small business that what the costumer just sees when he walks through the front door to buy a doughnut. The owners told us about ways that they try and cut the “unneeded” costs during the slow time of the year for them(usually the winter time).

They gave us a couple examples of how they saved some money, one example was, their electric bill was very expensive for heating and cooling so they put in a new door and a new breeze way which cost them around $6,000 dollars but in the long run will save them money. Another example was their oven would be running for close to twenty hours a day and they were able to rearrange the scheduling for their employees and now the oven is on for only twelve hours a day which they said they saw an immediate savings in their energy bill.

There are so many little details that I never thought of that a owner has to deal with on a regular basis when he has a business to run. Going through Rykes really was an eye opening experience for me to see how a successful business is ran.

The owners that took us around their business were very nice to us, and gracious enough to give us all a tour of their establishment and letting us eat some cake scraps and butter cookies. It is something that I would do again and encourage someone who is interested into studying business at college.

- Patrick Stewart, Senior