Recession leads builder to new business

After more than 30 years in Springfield’s construction industry, Lloyd Babcock is hanging up his hammer – to bake cookies.

The 55-year-old Babcock founded Uncle Lloyd’s Cookie Co. LLC in September, and is slated to open his own bakery and storefront in mid-May in the former Blimpie Subs & Salads location at 1653 E. Sunshine St.

Luck of the draw  
Babcock’s first business, Lloyd Built Homes, evolved from new-home construction to high-end renovations and additions under the name Lloyd Babcock Construction, in 2006.

“The economy absolutely had a hand in my changing careers,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who were in the construction business in Springfield who aren’t anymore.”

For several years, Babcock had tinkered around with a family oatmeal cookie recipe, baking for family events and holidays. His niece would always ask for “Uncle Lloyd’s” cookies, he said.

But it was a poker night Babcock hosted about a year before launching the cookie business that made him think there might be more than a hobby to the oatmeal cookies.

“At 11 o’clock, the guys were getting up to go in the kitchen for a beer and coming back with cookies,” he said. “I thought maybe it could be a viable business.”

He began doing research, calling the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, checking into possible sales outlets and exploring packaging options.

Then there was the financing. Babcock said he initially invested $25,000 in the business and expects that amount to grow to $100,000 to get the bakery up and running.

He had to turn to private anonymous investors for startup funding to get started.

“Banks wouldn’t give me the time of day,” says Babcock. “I even took them some cookies.”

Once he lined up the necessities, Babcock started baking, using the commercial kitchen at The Café on West Kearney Street. He began testing new recipes and spreading the word about Uncle Lloyd’s by sharing about 60 dozen cookies with friends and former business contacts.

Among them was Tracy James, who works in showroom sales for Harry Cooper Supply Co.

“He came in one day and brought cookies,” James said. “They’re good, and I really like his attention to natural ingredients.”

James eventually purchased a few dozen cookies as gifts, and he wasn’t alone. Babcock said by the end of 2009, he sold 500 dozen cookies, mostly wholesale to companies that used them as holiday gifts.

Ready to grow
The builder-turned-baker has developed 18 flavors of oatmeal cookies such as orange chocolate chip, lemon blueberry chocolate chip, a tropical blend and the original Incredible Oatmeal Cookie, which blends pureed almonds, coconut, butterscotch and chocolate chips. The cookies sell retail for $1.39 apiece or $12 a dozen, but Babcock said they’ll be just one of the menu highlights at Uncle Lloyd’s.

Babcock is a personal fan of eating natural foods, and in addition to the natural ingredients used in his cookies, the bakery store will feature deli sandwiches made from Breadsmith bread and Applegate Farms all natural, hormone-free meat. There also will be smoothies made with fresh fruit, yogurt, local honey and Uncle Lloyd’s spices.

Already, Babcock said he’s sold 1,200 dozen cookies.

“My marketing has been mostly word-of-mouth. I’ve walked around asking people if they want a cookie,” he said.

The bakery’s location – which Babcock said has a 30,000 daily vehicle count passing by – also is likely to help spread awareness.

“He’s got some different ideas and a good location. … I think he’ll do all right,” said Jerry Tillery, owner of Superior Tile & Linoleum Co. Tillery has known Babcock for 15 years and worked with him on the new store’s floor.

Babcock won’t disclose his sales goals for 2010, but he expects 90 percent of his sales this year to be retail and 10 percent wholesale.

He said some of what he learned as a builder is helping him as a baker.

“As a general contractor, I learned to be patient, and I have been served best by understanding that things don’t always work out as planned,” he said. “I’ve also learned to be persistent …  I won’t give up.”[[In-content Ad]]