A story pitting a San Jose small business owner against a Silicon Valley corporate giant has a satisfying ending.
Business has been booming at The Giving Pies since the community learned that the owner was left holding the bag after an order for 4,000 mini pies for Tesla was abruptly canceled.
Last weekend, hundreds of community members came together to support this small Black- and women-owned business.
“Oh my god, it's unbelievable,” said Voahunzi Raceterinella, owner of The Giving Pies. “I was shocked. I'm like, 'That's not what I did it for.' I'm so grateful. It's amazing. The people are amazing.”
More than 300 customers showed up to support the project on Friday and Saturday, and Ms Raceterinella said she had received donations from all over the country and even some from as far away as the Netherlands and Sweden.
Elon Musk has personally posted that Tesla will make things right with the bakery, and Tesla has done just that. Raceterinella said Tesla managers offered to pay for and reimburse her for $2,000 worth of supplies she had prepared in preparation for a previous order and also gave her 3,600 mini pies to celebrate Women's Day in March. He offered her a new catering job.
It was a job she had to turn down.
“Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend the catering event because a lot of businesses have run out of dough, and we also have to prepare for Pi Day, so we have no choice,” she says with a laugh. Ta.
Laceterinella said he is willing to work with Tesla in the future, but wants to make sure the orders he has already received are successful.
