Don't Be a Couch Potato
Popular Bakery Battling to Stay Alive After Being Shut Down
Fluff Bake Bar's new location has been closed for a month because of a slew of unexpected interior work.
About a month ago, Fluff Bake Bar closed its new Heights location to, as owner Rebecca Masson wrote on Instagram, "finish some construction projects." Those projects, which according to Masson were ordered by the City of Houston Department of Health, come at a heavy cost for the bakery.
On Tuesday Masson took to Instagram to ask customers for help after revealing the details of her temporary closing. She wrote that she had to shut down her facility despite originally being given the go-ahead to operate.
Masson told Houstonia that she was given a temporary certificate of occupancy after going through inspections with the city, but the Department of Health ordered she install a hood vent over the ovens. It was during that time that she said the Department of Health told her she did illegal construction because it had no knowledge of a grease trap installed inside the property, even after a grease inspector passed Fluff. Masson said that she didn't have the grease trap installed, and that the work was done before she signed the lease.
"When I took possession of the space a majority of the construction had already been done and not by me," Masson said.
Consequently, she said her permits—which she was informed by the Department of Health were incorrectly issued—have been voided and she needs to relocate the grease trap, plus replace all interior plumbing lines, remodel the bathrooms, replace the hot water heater, and install a hood vent. She wrote the projects would cost more than $25,000.
"I just can't give up on my dream that I built nine years ago," she wrote. "I have overcome huge obstacles but this one is just too big for me."
A GoFundMe has been created to help Fluff. In two hours it had already raised $10,015 (as of 3:15 p.m. Tuesday), nearly half of its $25,000 goal. Masson said she's overwhelmed with the positive response from fans and supporters.
"I can't even describe the feeling. I cried good tears today instead of the shitty tears yesterday," she said. "To even post what I posted is hard for me ... I like to maintain that I'm doing OK. And I know it's not me who mssed up here but I feel like it is me who messed up."
Masson said the plumbing work is currently being done at the shop, and once that is completely approved by inspectors the other work can proceed. She has no timetable for a re-opening yet, and while she was doing some popups previously during her closure, she said it's not the most cost-effective route for her. Right now she has to hope she can start baking in her facility again.