I am mad at a local black-owned business, and I am taking my anger public. Now please read on and understand my anger. You might even be angry with me. First off, I have to admit that I am very particular about where I spend my money. I do not tolerate being mistreated. Nor do I tolerate sloppy or poor service. I have no problem complaining to the management when things aren’t right and will write a letter in a heartbeat.
So why I am taking my anger public? Well, it’s like this. I believe in supporting the local black-owned businesses. I believe in shouting from the rooftop when there is a good business and expressing concern when they are lacking in their efforts.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I am upset with this business because they have made me addicted to it. And no, it is not an illegal substance! What is it that has me so angry? Why it’s the caramel cake from B.R. Bakers.
Have you had it? B.R. Bakers is a local business that bakes a variety of cakes. They are in the individual clear clam shell containers and sell for $1.99 a slice. That caramel cake is moist, tender and absolutely delicious! All you have to do is read the ingredients to know it’s good. Cake flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk and water. The frosting is buttery, gooey and sweet. In fact, the frosting is so good that I have been known to “lick the paper” the cake is placed on?”but not in public.
So if the cake is so good, why am I mad at them? Because they don’t have a bakery location right here in Austin where I can buy an entire cake, or at least, half a cake. Instead, because of my craving for that cake, I have been forced to go into stores that I normally refuse to give my money to just to buy that cake.
In fact, at one local gas station when I asked the owner why he no longer sold the cake, he said he always sells out. When I told him I knew the people who baked that cake, the owner said, “Tell them to bring me more. They are messing up my business! When people come here for the cake, and it’s not in stock, they leave and don’t buy anything!”
And that is why I am mad at B.R. Bakers. They have a product that is excellent, yet I have to go through a middleman to get it. I have to compromise my beliefs to not support businesses that mistreat this community by being forced to go to them to support a black-owned business! And truth be told, had it not been for that cake, there is one funky store that I would have never gone in … ever! But that caramel cake was calling my name.
Trust me. I tried not to hear that call. I came up with every excuse in the world. “I don’t like the way those stores smell,” I told myself. “I don’t like shopping where the clerk is standing on a platform watching me with every step.” I can come up with a million excuses why I shouldn’t go into those stores, but then the lure of that cake wins out and once again I have to compromise. My personal convictions or caramel cake?
Don’t wonder. The cake won! I left with six slices of cake and gave up the $12.
The woman behind me grabbed six as well. So between the two of us, we had purchased almost $25 worth of cake. Now if we can just get B.R. Bakers to open a bakery, I hear that the sweet potato pie is even better. …
Email me: westside2day@yahoo.com
