NYC baked potato shop 'Totally Baked' closes, the result of a failed concept

Jason Apfelbaum's Totally Baked—baked potato restaurant—on 18th Street—has closed. After spending a ton of cash, the successful catering entrepreneur has been forced to accept that his business model was flawed.

According to numerous comments on the Internet, Totally Baked suffered from high prices (average $12 for a potato with toppings), tiny portions and a confusing brand name.

Greg Smith, president of SpudsToGo Corporation about the Totally Baked closure: "I spoke to Jason Apfelbaum in December 2007 about his plans. "He originally contacted me and said he wanted to buy a SpudsToGo ^® or SpudsXPress ^™ franchise. It soon became apparent that he was fishing for information and that he had decided to go-it-alone."

"I told him I thought his model, both the pricing structure and brand was all-wrong,"but he wouldn't listen,"Smith said. "At SpudsToGo, we charge less than $4 for a full-meal for a very large potato. You can't charge $12 or more for a tiny portion and stay in business for very long,"Smith explained.