Kiln — Launch Roadmap

Phase One — Months 1–2

Foundation & Planning

Before you spend a dollar on a space or talk to a lender, you need your business infrastructure buttoned up and your concept documented formally. Your B2B sales background is a real asset here — you know how to build a pitch and close a process. Treat the SBA lender like a sophisticated buyer.

Duration

6–8
weeks

🎯

Phase 1 Goal

Business plan complete. Entity formed. SBA advisor contacted.

Everything a lender needs to take you seriously on day one of Phase 2.

Business & Legal Setup

Form your LLC in Michigan

File with Michigan LARA. Single-member or partner LLC. ~$50 filing fee. Use a business attorney — $500–1,000 well spent.

Legal

Open a dedicated business bank account

Huntington or Flagstar are active SBA lenders in Detroit — starting a banking relationship early helps your loan process.

Financial

Get your EIN from the IRS

Free, takes 10 minutes online at IRS.gov. Required for banking, hiring, and licensing.

Legal

Hire a restaurant-savvy CPA

Not a generalist — find someone who works with restaurant operators in Michigan. They'll help structure the business for tax efficiency and build your pro forma.

Critical

Consult Michigan SBDC (free)

Michigan Small Business Development Center offers free advising. Request a restaurant-focused advisor — they help prep SBA loan packages and review business plans at no cost.

Financial

Concept Documentation

Finalize the formal business plan

Expand the concept doc into a full plan: executive summary, market analysis, operations plan, management bio, and 3-year financials. SBA lenders require this.

Critical

Build 3-year pro forma financials

Use the P&L we built as your base. Model conservative, base, and optimistic scenarios with monthly cash flow for Year 1. Include owner salary as a line item.

Financial

Write your personal background narrative

Lenders fund people as much as concepts. Your B2B sales background — hiring, managing, revenue growth — is directly transferable. Document it clearly.

Financial

Draft the full Kiln menu with pricing

Finalize every item, price point, and COGS estimate. This goes in the business plan and is the foundation for your revenue projections.

Culinary

Begin sourcing research — tallow, proteins, brioche

Identify local butchers for tallow sourcing, regional meat suppliers, and local flour mills. Detroit has strong local food infrastructure. This also strengthens your brand story in the plan.

Culinary

Phase 1 Estimated Spend

LLC Filing + Attorney

$600–1,500

One-time legal setup

CPA Consultation

$500–1,200

Business plan financials

Michigan SBDC

Free

Use this resource

Phase 1 Total

~$2,500

Low cost, high leverage

Phase Two — Months 2–5

Funding & Legal

This is the longest and most frustrating phase for most first-time owners. SBA loans take 60–120 days from application to close. Start this process earlier than you think you need to. Your sales background will serve you well — treat the lender like a qualified prospect and the loan package like a proposal.

Duration

10–14
weeks

💰

Phase 2 Goal

SBA loan approved. Personal capital committed. Ready to sign a lease.

You cannot sign a lease or begin build-out without financing confirmed.

SBA Loan Process

Pull and review your personal credit report

SBA lenders want 680+ personal credit score. Pull all three bureaus. Dispute any errors now — this takes time. Your personal financial health is the first thing a lender evaluates.

Critical

Gather 3 years of personal tax returns

Standard SBA requirement. Also gather personal financial statement showing assets, liabilities, and net worth. Lenders want to see what collateral you can offer.

Financial

Approach 2–3 SBA lenders in Detroit

Huntington Bank, Flagstar, and Mercantile Bank of Michigan are all active SBA 7(a) lenders. Get competing offers. Your SBDC advisor can recommend who's currently active in restaurant lending.

Critical

Determine your personal capital injection

SBA 7(a) typically requires 10–20% down from the borrower. On a $500k project that's $50–100k personal. Nail down exactly what you have and what form it takes (cash, retirement, etc.).

Financial

Submit formal SBA loan application

Includes: business plan, 3-year projections, personal financial statement, tax returns, resume/background, and concept documentation. This is your full package.

Critical

Licensing & Compliance

Begin Michigan liquor license process

This is your longest lead-time item. A full on-premise liquor license in Michigan can take 4–6 months. File with the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) as early as possible. Budget $15–25k.

Critical

Hire a Michigan liquor license attorney

The MLCC process is complex. A specialist attorney in Michigan alcohol licensing ($2–4k) will navigate it faster and with fewer delays than going it alone.

Legal

Research local zoning and health codes

Before you fall in love with a space, confirm it's zoned for restaurant/bar use with a commercial kitchen. Detroit and suburban municipalities vary significantly.

Legal

Register with Michigan Treasury for sales tax license. Required before you can legally sell food and beverage. Free to register.

Legal

Research Michigan food handler requirements

Michigan requires a certified food handler on every shift. You and your kitchen lead should complete ServSafe Manager certification (~$150 each).

Ops

Phase 2 Estimated Spend

Liquor License

$15–25k

MLCC + attorney fees

Legal (general)

$2–4k

Lease review, filings

Personal Injection

$50–100k

SBA equity requirement

SBA Loan (target)

$400–500k

7(a) build + working cap

Phase Three — Months 4–11

Space & Build-Out

The most capital-intensive phase. Location choice is the single biggest business decision you'll make — it affects your customer base, lease cost, foot traffic, and the entire brand experience. In Detroit you have genuinely excellent options. Don't rush it, but don't let perfect be the enemy of good.

Duration

5–7
months

🏗️

Phase 3 Goal

Lease signed. Contractor selected. Build-out complete and inspected.

Keys in hand, equipment installed, ready for staff training.

Location & Lease

Hire a commercial real estate broker

Use a broker who specializes in Detroit restaurant/retail. They're paid by the landlord — costs you nothing. They'll know which spaces have existing kitchen infrastructure, saving $50–100k on build-out.

Critical

Identify 3–5 target neighborhoods

For Kiln's positioning: Corktown, Midtown, New Center, or Birmingham/Royal Oak for suburban reach. Each has different demographics, rent levels, and foot traffic patterns.

Ops

Evaluate spaces for kitchen viability

Key requirements: adequate gas lines for smoker + grill + fryers, proper ventilation/hood capacity, grease trap, and enough square footage for both kitchen and 60-seat room. Walk every space with a contractor before signing anything.

Critical

Negotiate lease terms

Target: 5-year lease with two 5-year options. Negotiate a tenant improvement allowance (TIA) — Detroit landlords are often flexible. Get a free rent period during build-out (3–6 months is common). Have your attorney review before signing.

Critical

Design & Construction

Hire a restaurant architect / designer

Kiln's aesthetic is specific — dark, warm, industrial-craft. Find a Detroit designer who understands hospitality spaces. Get 2–3 quotes. Typical fee: 8–12% of build-out cost.

Brand

Source and hire a general contractor

Get 3 bids. Ask specifically about restaurant build-out experience — hood systems, fire suppression, health department compliance. Detroit has strong contractors at competitive rates vs. coastal markets.

Critical

Specify and order kitchen equipment

Long lead-time items: commercial smoker (6–12 weeks), binchōtan grill, hood system, fryers, walk-in cooler. Order early. Used equipment from restaurant auctions can save 30–50% — check Equipco and Restaurant Equipment World in Michigan.

Critical

Select POS system

Toast or Square for Restaurants are the most common for a dual-channel concept. Toast handles dine-in + takeout + online ordering in one system. Set up before soft open.

Ops

Pass all inspections (health, fire, building)

Schedule Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development food establishment inspection. Also fire marshal and building department sign-off. Budget 2–4 weeks for this process after construction completes.

Legal

Phase 3 Estimated Spend (Detroit Market)

Build-Out (mid)

$280–380k

Leasehold improvements

Kitchen Equipment

$80–120k

Smoker, grill, fryers, hood

FF&E

$30–60k

Furniture, smallwares, POS

Design Fees

$25–40k

Architect + interior

Phase Four — Months 10–14

Team & Menu

Your sales background makes you well-equipped to hire — you know how to read people and close. The kitchen hire is the most critical decision you'll make after location. The right Executive Chef or Kitchen Lead is a force multiplier on everything. Your brand identity also gets fully built out in this phase.

Duration

8–12
weeks

👨‍🍳

Phase 4 Goal

Core team hired. Menu finalized and costed. Brand identity complete.

Ready to begin staff training and soft open prep.

Key Hires

Hire Executive Chef or Kitchen Lead

This is your most important hire. Ideally someone with Japanese technique exposure AND comfort with American smoke/BBQ methods. Detroit has strong culinary talent — post on Culinary Agents and network through the local food community. Budget $65–85k salary.

Critical

Hire a Bar Manager / Head Bartender

Bar revenue is 45–50% of dine-in in your model — this person is as important as the chef. Look for someone with Japanese spirits knowledge (sake, whisky) and strong cocktail program experience. $50–65k.

Critical

Hire FOH Manager / Lead Server

Someone who can run the floor and train staff. Experienced in mid-to-high end service. This person protects the guest experience while you're managing the big picture. $45–55k.

Ops

Hire full FOH + BOH team

For a 60-seat + counter operation: 3–4 servers, 2 bartenders, 1 host, 2–3 line cooks, 1 prep cook, 2 counter staff. Hire 2–3 weeks before soft open for training time.

Ops

Brand & Menu

Design brand identity (logo, type, palette)

The Kiln visual identity is clear — dark, warm, craft. Hire a brand/graphic designer experienced in hospitality. This covers logo, menus, chip bag design, signage, and social assets. Budget $3–6k for a good independent designer.

Brand

Design and print physical menus

Dine-in menus should feel premium — heavy card stock, minimal design, matches the space. Counter menus can be menu boards. Budget $800–1,500.

Brand

Design branded chip bags and packaging

The takeout bag and chip bag are your street-level marketing. Every bag that leaves is an impression. Invest in packaging that looks great. Custom printed bags: $1,500–3,000 for initial run.

Brand

Finalize and cost every menu item

Work with your chef to cook every dish, confirm COGS, and lock in pricing. Nothing should be on the menu that hasn't been tasted, costed, and approved. This is also when you develop the brioche recipe and tallow-rendering process.

Culinary

Build social media presence pre-launch

Start posting 6–8 weeks before opening. Behind-the-scenes build-out content, menu development, the chip and brioche story. Detroit food community is highly engaged on Instagram. Don't wait until you're open to start building an audience.

Brand

Set up website and online ordering

Simple, brand-forward website with menu, story, and online ordering capability for the counter. Integrate with your POS. Don't use third-party delivery apps at launch — the 25–30% commission destroys your margins before you're established.

Ops

Phase 4 Estimated Spend

Brand Identity

$4–8k

Logo, menus, packaging

Pre-Opening Labor

$15–25k

Training period payroll

Website + Tech

$2–4k

Site build + POS setup

R&D / Recipe Dev

$3–5k

Ingredient testing

Phase Five — Months 14–18

Soft Open & Launch

The soft open is not optional. It is how you find every operational flaw before the critics, the full public, and the social media crowd arrive. Run it with invited guests and friends-of-friends. Break things on purpose. Discover what's broken before it costs you a review. The hard open is a moment — make it count.

Duration

4–6
weeks

🔥

Phase 5 Goal

Kiln is open. First 90 days hit conservative P&L targets. You are paying yourself.

The beginning of the operating business — everything before this was preparation.

Soft Open

Run 2-week friends & family soft open

Invite 30–40 guests per night — people you trust to give honest feedback. Run full service with real tickets, real timing, real bar orders. This is dress rehearsal. Collect feedback systematically after each service.

Critical

Invite local food media to soft open

Hour Detroit, Eater Detroit, Crain's Detroit Business food coverage. Not for review — for relationship building. Give them a preview. Detroit food media is genuinely interested in new independent concepts.

Brand

Conduct post-service staff debriefs daily

After every soft open service, 15-minute debrief with the full team. What broke, what was slow, what confused guests. Fix one or two things between each service. This is how operators become great.

Ops

Confirm takeout counter operations separately

The counter has different operational rhythms than the sit-down room. Run counter-specific test days at lunch to dial in speed, packaging, and ticket times before the full launch.

Ops

Hard Open & First 90 Days

Host a hard open event

Make it a moment. A Thursday or Friday night. Invite press, local food influencers, community figures. The chip flight, the brisket, and the brioche need to make their public debut together. The chip bag photo should be everywhere by Saturday morning.

Brand

Track weekly P&L against projections

Don't wait for monthly reports. Track weekly revenue by channel, COGS as a % of sales, and labor hours. Your conservative scenario assumptions need to be validated — or adjusted — within the first 30 days.

Financial

Set 90-day revenue and cover targets

Month 1: 40–50 covers/day. Month 2: 55–65. Month 3: 70+. Counter orders: 10/day growing to 20+. These are your leading indicators. If you're tracking below, diagnose early — marketing, pricing, or operations.

Financial

Launch direct online ordering (no apps yet)

Own your takeout orders directly before giving DoorDash 25–30%. Add delivery apps only when volume justifies the margin hit, typically 3–6 months in when brand awareness drives incremental orders rather than cannibalizing your own.

Ops

Plan the 6-month review

At 6 months, do a formal business review: actual vs. projected P&L, customer acquisition cost, highest and lowest margin items, staffing efficiency. This is the data foundation for planning Location 2.

Financial

📈

The Horizon — Year 2+

Base case P&L achieved. Owner comp hits $200–250k target. Second location planning begins.

At this point Kiln is a proven brand, a valuable asset, and a scalable concept. The counter spinoff becomes the next conversation.