Popular Ontario home-based bakery made famous on TikTok in danger of closing

A home-based business in Ajax that saw its sales boom following a visit from an influential food blogger last year is discovering success can sometimes have drawbacks, with Biscuits to Baskets in danger of being shut down because of zoning non-compliance.

The struggles to come to an agreement with the Town of Ajax has been an issue for more than a year but has reached a head with the town demanding that compliance be achieved “immediately.” The two sides are also at odds over the timeline of discussions in attempting to end the impasse.

Biscuits to Baskets has been in operation at 49 Beatty Avenue since 2003 and owner Suzanne Smith moved the business to a backyard shed before the pandemic to create an easier pick-up location. The business was DineSafe certified and Food Safety inspected.

Locally known for its wide selection of handmade confections, including its most popular chocolate barks, caramel apples, and sponge toffees, all was well until TikTokker Keith Lee (and his 17.2 million followers) visited in the spring of 2024 and raved about the Korean Sponge Toffee (8/10) and cake slices (7/10) and especially the “over the top” service from the Smith family.

“Some of the best customer service I’ve ever experienced.”

The very next day the shop was flooded with customers and the street was heavy with traffic, bringing the attention of the Town of Ajax by-law officers who told Smith she could not no longer operate out of the backyard.

This led to an immediate backlash from supporter and Lee himself, who called the town’s move “surprising, unfortunate, but fixable.” He reiterated his love for Biscuits to Baskets, “It was amazing. In my opinion and my family’s opinion and also to the thousand-plus people who visited in the last month.”

Smith said in a Facebook post August she has tried “desperately” to get a meeting with the Town of Ajax to resolve the issue but instead received a letter “basically stating that we should shut down ASAP due to complaints.”

“We have tried several attempts to speak with the town as we need answers.”

Smith said she and her family have done “everything they asked us to do,” including shutting down the shed in the back and moving operations to the front. “We were told we were in compliance.”

Nothing more was said since October, she added, and now they are being asked to comply with the by-law or be shut down.

“We are just in disbelief that they are reclassifying our business as restaurant/ take out in the town’s opinion,” she said. “All we are asking is a sit down with them to explain to us the complaints that have come in, or if there is something else we need to do to comply.”

The town, however, has a different take on the correspondence trail.

Sam Paterson, the Interim Supervisor of Communications & Engagement for Ajax, said the town is “aware” of Smith’s comments on social media and said they have been trying to arrange a meeting with Biscuits to Baskets since May but have been told to forward all correspondence to their legal representative.

“The town requested a meeting with Biscuits to Baskets to proactively address concerns regarding its operation, including zoning non-compliance, and the associated impact on the surrounding neighbourhood. In response, the business requested that all future communications be sent to their representative, who then requested to receive the same via email,” Paterson told INdurham.

He said the representative did express a “willingness to meet” in a subsequent email, though by-law services had initiated enforcement processes by this time.

When the business’ representative asked to speak with the town after a first formal notice of non-compliance was issued, he added, “the town responded promptly and requested available dates for a meeting. No dates were ever provided.”

The Town of Ajax sent a second notice of non-compliance, which was followed by correspondence from a legal representative for the business.

“The town responded to this correspondence, through its solicitor, reiterating that zoning compliance was required immediately.”

Smith said she and her family have always been “very supportive” for the small home-based community in Ajax and have tried to be “cooperative” with the town since last year’s “social media blow up.”

She also called her customers “the most respectful people” and believes the majority of her neighbours “love us being here,” and insists she still wants a meeting with the town.

“We just want answers that’s. We would really like a meeting or something to explain what’s going on, but all we have received is a letter to cease operations,” she said. “We are reaching out because right at this moment we do not know the future of Biscuits To Baskets.”

“We are feeling so hopeless right now.”

Paterson said the town will “continue to take steps it considers appropriate” to secure compliance with its by-laws.

Suzanne and Colter Smith of Ajax home business Biscuits to Baskets