Allan Appel Photo
The treat of the day at Kathy Riegelmann’s bakery was a basil confection with strawberry frosting, along with a pledge from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy to continue helping small businesses like hers.
Malloy dropped by Katalina’s Bakery on Whitney Avenue Monday afternoon to highlight a state loan program called Small Business Express. Riegelman started up the business a year and a half ago with a $30,000 state loan, which enabled her to purchase a new counter, cooler, coffee equipment, and add employees. The state dollars were funneled through the non-profit Community Economic Development Fund.
In front of the baker’s whoopie pies, the governor said, “Sometimes my willpower surprises me.”
Malloy said his proposed budget includes $100 million over two years for small business support of this kind. He said banks in general won’t loan to such businesses.
“If we don’t help these places to grow, they won’t. We’re celebrating their success.”
Malloy said such efforts are “the best way to jump start the economy coming out of recession.”
Malloy said he was impressed not only with Riegelmann’s thriving business, but the way she gives baking classes and other training as well as employment opportunities to single moms to work for her in a job that provides health care.
She’s a single mom herself, and that aspect of her success was important to pass along, she said.
The governor told Riegelmann he does the cooking in his house, including making pies.
The governor said that 60 percent of small businesses are begun by women or people of color.
“You hit the sweet spot, no pun intended,” he added.
The guv showed great self control taking only coffee with a little milk during the first half of his visit. Before he left, he caved and purchased a cranberry oatmeal cookie, which he split with a staffer.