Baker, Known for Battle Over Wedding Cake for Gay Couple, Opening Up Shop in Ronan
A bakery, which gained notoriety after the legal battle that ensued when they turned away a same-sex couple who wanted to order a wedding cake in 2013, appears to be relocating from Oregon and re-opening soon in Ronan.
On January 17, 2013, a woman and her mother came to their scheduled wedding cake tasting appointment at a bakery they had previously patronized called "Sweet Cakes by Melissa", owned by couple Melissa Klein and Aaron Klein. The woman selected the bakery after having been a customer previously. Upon introductions, Aaron Klein asked for the names of the "bride and groom," at which point the customer said there were actually two brides. On hearing this, Klein informed them that the bakery does not make wedding cakes for same-sex weddings because of their religious beliefs. When the woman's mother tried to object, Klein responded by quoting Leviticus 18:22, which refers to male homosexual sex as an "abomination."
According to Wikipedia, “The customer subsequently filed a complaint with Oregon's Bureau of Labor and Industries, alleging the bakery had discriminated against her and her fiancée because of their sexual orientation. Aaron Klein responded by posting a copy of the complaint's first page on their Facebook page, which contained the full names and contact information of the customer and her fiancée.When the couple discovered this, they had their lawyer contact Klein, who then removed the posting. While only up for a single day, this posting ultimately resulted in death threats against the couple and their family.”
A legal battle ensued and gained national media attention. In 2015, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries found that the owners of “Sweet Cakes by Melissa” violated Oregon's nondiscrimination statutes with the Oregon Court of Appeals affirming that ruling in 2017. However, after appealing yet again, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the ruling and sent the case back to Oregon court to review its decision in light of 2018 ruling in favor of a Colorado baker in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission by the Supreme Court.
According to an April 21 Facebook post, Sweet Cakes by Melissa said, “I told myself I was never going to have a shop again. But the last couple months God has been changing my mind. I don't know what He has planned but I know I'm going to work for Him.” The owner included a photo of their new shop and replied to comments that they would be located in Ronan, Montana.
Ronan lies on the Flathead Indian Reservation and Salish lands just one hour north of Missoula, in the Mission Valley. According to Facebook, the new shop will be located on 44 NE Division Street of Ronan. Supporters of the Klein’s have been vocal in the comment threads of social media, while other concerned citizens are discussing the best ways to express their opposition while supporting other businesses that are allies to the LGBTQIA communities.