A devastating fire tore through Incredible Edible Custom Cakes in Virginia Beach's Hilltop neighborhood early Wednesday morning, destroying a beloved bakery that has been serving the community for more than 20 years.
Owner Debrah Miller learned about the fire when her employee arrived at 7 a.m. to find flames pouring from the roof and thick smoke filling the air.
"I didn't get a phone call from anyone except my employee who showed up at 7 AM," Miller said.
The bakery has been a cornerstone of the Hilltop community, creating custom cakes and sweet memories for families across Virginia Beach. Miller has weathered economic challenges over the years, including pivoting to wedding cakes after the recession.
"After the recession in no way, we pivoted to wedding cakes," Miller said. "It's not an easy business, you know, and we just kept bugging along."
Watching decades of work disappear left Miller devastated.
"Can't even describe it, I was sick of my stomach," Miller said.
However, the Virginia Beach community quickly rallied around the small business owner. Firefighters managed to save Miller's recipe files and customer records from the flames. Local business owners Susan Byrne and Ed Byrne of Catering Concepts immediately offered to share their kitchen space.
"Very old friend and colleague who owns Catering Concepts, Susan Byrne and Ed Byrne. They offered right away to let us share their kitchen," Miller said.
The bakery's sign still hangs above the damaged storefront, serving as a reminder of the memories created there over the years. Despite the devastating loss, Miller remains determined to rebuild and continue serving the Virginia Beach community.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Here is the link if you would like to donate:
https://gofund.me/26c350bcf
