From the Times Herald:

When Port Huron entrepreneur Daysha Woodley was looking for local kitchen space to grow her business Daylicious Drinks and Treats, it was a dead end.

The closest space she could find was an hour away and booked. Which is why she’s so excited the Thumb Coast Kitchens project has opened its first kitchen for entrepreneurs to rent at Grace Episcopal Church.

“It’s going to allow people to grow their businesses,” she said.

Thumb Coast Kitchens offers food-based entrepreneurs shared license and commercial kitchen space in St. Clair County.

The Community Foundation of St. Clair County and James C. Acheson Foundation partnered to launch the community kitchen project and in the past Community Foundation Board Chair Randa Jundi-Samman described it as an Airbnb for commercial kitchens.

“It’s so exciting to say that our first Thumb Coast Kitchen site is now open and ready for local food based entrepreneurs to rent,” she said in a written statement. “The Grace Church licensed commercial kitchen site is a welcomed and much needed resource for our cooks and bakers to launch or grow their businesses.”

The Grace Episcopal Church kitchen at 1213 Sixth St. opened for the program this past Wednesday. It is geared toward entrepreneurs who only need stovetops and ovens and is available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the community foundation’s website.

Woodley is the manager and coordinator for the Thumb Coast Kitchens network. She said people can rent the church kitchen for $25 per hour or can have a discounted monthly payment plan.

She said the kitchen has plenty of prep space, several ovens, a commercial dishwasher, dry storage people can rent at a monthly rate and utensils, pots and pans entrepreneurs can utilize.

“What’s here, they’re able to use,” she said.

The next kitchen to join the network will be the former Atrium Café & Ice Cream Parlour, which will be transformed into Atrium Kitchen. Woodley said she hopes to open the kitchen space later this year and an event space in the building this spring.

The Atrium Kitchen will have a full commercial kitchen complete with stovetops, ovens, griddles, fryers, warming tables, commercial size mixers and dry and cold storage. It will be available to rent 24/7.

Woodley said the church kitchen has not been utilized yet and she plans to host an orientation this Wednesday for four entrepreneurs ready for the program, including Chef Christopher Moore and Jalen Hayes Sr. of Fire Up Grill.

There are about 16 people Woodley is in contact with who are interested in joining and are in different stages of getting certification. People must be approved to join the network to use the space and must have:

• A registered business
• ServSafe Food Handler Certification
• The appropriate liability insurance
• The appropriate licenses for selling food

Woodley said people can reach out to her with questions and the program can help entrepreneurs form a business plan.

This program is a way for people to get out of their home and do a business the right way. For people who are serious about growing their business, “this is the step for them to take,” she said.

People like Moore, who owns Chef Chris Catering LLC.

“This project right here I think is going to really help chefs like me,” he said.