Masterpiece Cakeshop: Will shop make cake for dog wedding but not gay wedding?

Last week, we wrote about Lakewood's Masterpiece Cakeshop, which, like larger national chains including Chik-Fil-A, has taken a stance on gay marriage. Owner Jack Phillips does not create cakes for gay ceremonies. And while members of the local community are planning protests against a policy they find discriminatory, supporters have created matching Facebook groups to praise the bakery's right to refuse service. Meanwhile, Yelp has removed scores of negative Masterpiece reviews from its site for violating its Terms of Service.

For more information, read the full update at out sister blog, Cafe Society. In the meantime, continue below for a letter from reader Stephanie Schmalz, who recently tested Masterpiece's policies and wrote us about the results.

I have wanted to do this for months, and in light of the recent news coverage I thought now was the best time.

Today, I called Masterpiece Cake Shop, and Mr. Phillips answered the phone. I asked if it was possible to have a cake made in the shape of a bone -- and went on to specify a dog bone. I explained that I was a dog breeder (which I am not -- but for sake of this "experiment", I am) and that we were breeding our dog with our neighbor's dog in the coming week and wanted to have a cake made.

I further explained that we were going to have the dogs "get married" and the cake needed to serve about 20 people. I expected him to react harshly or to realize that this call might be a call "fishing" or "testing the waters." Instead he quoted me a price of $69.99 plus tax and asked me when I needed it.

Expecting that he might have caught on and maybe was testing me to see if I would continue the conversation I asked if he could put the dog's names on the cake and decorate it "pretty." He complied and took down the (made-up) names of Buffy and Roscoe. He even went on to tell me that he just made a birthday cake for a little boy named Roscoe. I let him know that I needed to clear the cost with my neighbor and that I'd call him back...

Needless to say, I am in shock and disbelief (not to mention very disappointed) that the owners of this bakery will not make a cake, or in our case cupcakes (see below) for a loving HUMAN couple but they will make a cake for DOGS to get married.

Sincerely, Stephanie Schmalz

More from our Follow That Story archive: "Masterpiece Cakeshop refuses gay wedding: Readers share their stories."