The short version
Cottage food registrations are built for direct sales at farmers' markets, community events, and from the producer's home. A permanent retail storefront on a normal day is usually outside that line. Rules vary by state and change; this is a starting point, not legal advice.
The usual paths
- A licensed commercial kitchen arrangement (rent hours in one).
- A wholesale food license, if the tenant will make product elsewhere and sell it here.
- Limit sales to qualifying events held at the building, and say so in writing.
Track it like a real issue
Open a compliance flag on the tenant with the specific note. It stays visible on the owner dashboard until someone resolves it. Nobody has to remember.