RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Marie Antoinette is credited for having once said, “Let them eat cake.” On Monday, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin symbolically said, “Let them sell cake pops.”
Just a few months ago, 8News spoke to Kelly Phillips, a Henrico County baker who said she was denied the opportunity to sell her homemade cake pops at a local craft show. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer services sent her an email saying she also couldn’t advertise her business online.
“I was kind of hurt by that,” Phillips said about when she was told she couldn’t advertise online. “That’s how I connected with people.”
Lawmakers, like Del. Nicholas Freitas, heard her concerns.
“I don’t think most people understood that we had this burgeoning underground black market cake pop industry,” Freitas joked at Monday’s signing.
After a couple months of discourse — surrounded by local business owners, creators and bakers — with the swipe of a pen, Governor Youngkin put the icing on the cake… pop.
The legislation allows bakers to sell their products at any temporary event, as long as the period is less than 14 straight days. The law also permits people to advertise their home-based businesses on the web – they just can’t complete transactions online. This applies to those making jams, baked goods and even our favorite savory snacks.
“Virginia isn’t just for lovers, Virginia is for pickle lovers too,” Governor Youngkin said.
Phillips reiterated how inspiring it can be to see a goal come to fruition.
“It’s amazing that something so little like a cake pop is causing such a stir,” Phillips said. [I’m] very happy to be a part of it.”
The law also raised the annual gross sales revenue cap for home-based creators from $3,000 to $9,000. Phillips said she never expected to become the figurehead in this movement, but she’s proud to have helped stir up change.
“We’re not big box stores,” Phillips said. “We spend a lot of time perfecting our craft, working on our craft — and the fact that we now get to sell at more venues and reach more people just means a lot.”
At Monday’s signing, the courtyard outside the governor’s mansion was filled with local home-operating business owners. Lawmakers and community members encouraged Virginians to support local businesses.
