"Oakland bakery Angel Cakes has transitioned into a worker-owned cooperative a year and a half after the death of owner Jen Angel, East Bay Nosh reports. The bakery’s new cooperative ownership team — which includes Maggie Piatt, Tatlin Johnson, Kelly Peck, and Claire Tacherra-Morrison — hosted a ticketed all-you-can-eat mini cupcake event over the weekend to celebrate the business’s new chapter. Tacherra-Morrison told East Bay Nosh that they worked closely with Angel’s trust to make the transition as the new owners learned the ropes of a horizontal business structure while keeping the cakes frosted and the shop running. Angel, who died in 2023 after being injured in a violent robbery, was a dedicated social activist as well as a baker. The new worker cooperative plans to continue her community-focused mission, according to East Bay Nosh. "It’s hard to run a small business, but it’s an honor and a privilege being part of occasions that have special meaning in people’s lives," Tachera-Morrison said. "We really care.”" - Justine Jones
