Credit: Lochel's Bakery.
A longtime Hatboro bakery is allegedly facing community backlash after expanding its line of politically themed cakes, cookies, and gingerbread houses.
According to the owner of Lochel's Bakery, located at 57 S York Road in Hatboro, these items have become increasingly popular among customers, but have also sparked a wave of anger online. The owners of the family-run business, Kathleen and Rob Lochel, shared a lengthy statement on Facebook addressing the criticism.
Owners said the business has been the target of “hate” from residents on social media, in emails, and on community pages, prompting concerns serious enough that some supporters have suggested contacting police.
According to the owner, the bakery began selling political cookies last year, but has seen demand increase significantly. She said customers routinely request items featuring President Donald Trump, including birthday cakes and gingerbread houses, and that some people have traveled long distance, including one customer from Virginia, to pick up orders.
While acknowledging that she does not necessarily love making political items, the owner said the products generate steady revenue that helps sustain the business, support employees, and offset rising insurance costs. She also argued that the increased foot traffic benefits neighboring shops and restaurants.
"People may not like that we have expanded our political items then cookies over the years, and to be quite honest, I don't really love it," the owner posted to the business profile page. "Another hard reality and truth is the items sell. We have people emailing every day to order trump cookies or trump cakes. We just made several this weekend for birthday parties.
“There is a much bigger picture than what the hate is seeing,” the post reads. “As a business, we want to make things that sell and that bring people into town.”
The owner said the backlash grew more intense after the bakery displayed a politically themed gingerbread house, an item she said they also made last year without controversy. She claimed the criticism has become so severe that she has canceled all upcoming off-site events and craft shows, citing concerns for her safety and her family’s.
“It is being suggested now that we get the police involved due to the harassment,” she wrote, adding that some messages came from local residents.
In the post, the owner also expressed frustration that community outrage seemed focused on her products rather than more serious local issues, writing that it was “sad in today’s world that the local community is more worried about a gingerbread house than a child that died or families that are in need.”
The owner seemingly threatened to sell the store and move out of town.
"We will gladly sell [our stores] and put more condos, or nail salons or whatever. We choose to be in this town that we have vested interest in. We don't have to be here. There are other towns who have approached us to open a bakery in their towns because they see the bigger picture."
She also said the business has received offers from developers interested in purchasing their buildings, but emphasized that the bakery chooses to remain in Hatboro despite the criticism.
Reactions from residents online have been mixed. Some have expressed concern about the political nature of the products, while others say the business should be free to sell what customers request. As of now, no police involvement has been publicly confirmed.
The bakery’s social media post concluded by stating that the situation has caused more hostility than any political item sold in the past, and that the owner may share her experiences with regional or national media outlets that have contacted her.
