A suburban Chicago bakery that was targeted after announcing plans to host a family-friendly drag brunch will now stay open after nearly closing due to what the bakery's owner described as "horrific harassment that no business should endure" and financial woes.
UpRising Bakery in Lake in the Hills said it plans to continue operating despite announcing it would likely close at the end of March. The bakery revealed that it managed to raise more than the $30,000 in funds it needed to stay open.
"Thank you all for making it clear that we are needed and appreciated. We will do everything we can to make sure we live up to your expectations quality, beauty, sustainability, diversity, and inclusion," the bakery wrote on Facebook.
Owner Corinna Sac said the "groundswell of support" proves "people want us in McHenry County, and while she plans to stay in the area, she is now looking for a new location.
"It is not our last day here in LITH, as we originally anticipated. We know we have to make an exit. We don’t know where we will be going yet; but until we do know, we’ll be here with bakery menu and limited cafe (cafe closes mid april)…bakery remains open," the Facebook post read.
The space will continue to be available for private events, Sac said.
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UpRising Bakery and Cafe revealed last month that it would close if it could not make up for losses it experienced after it became the center of controversy in July 2022.
“Closing our doors is the direct result of the horrific attacks, endless harassment, and unrelenting negative misinformation about our establishment in the last eight months,” Sac said in a statement at the time.
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The bakery first made headlines last summer when it scheduled a drag show brunch that was set to be for all ages. In what would eventually become part of a national trend, the bakery was quickly targeted with "hateful comments and fake negative reviews" and, later, threats of violence and vandalism.
The night before the planned event, the bakery's windows were broken and walls were defaced with spray paint, forcing the cancellation of the performance.
A report from the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism makes note of several drag events across the country that have been canceled over safety concerns after being targeted by extremist groups. A similar event at the Downers Grove Public Library was also canceled due to such threats.
Since the vandalism and canceled drag show, Sac said she has faced ongoing threats, "horrific harassment, vandalism" and a "lack of support from local government to mitigate the abuse," all of which has led to a decline in sales.
Sac, who identifies as bisexual, said the business would need more than $30,000 to keep its doors open.
“Everything I have is in this business, our home, cars, retirement, savings. We put everything we had on the line and personally secured this location, our equipment, and our dreams," she said.
With the necessary funds now raised, Sac said she was "grateful to tears."
"UpRising is more than a bakery with vegan and gluten-free choices, it is a safe space," she said.
