FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 18, 2022
 Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, recognized Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop of Corydon, Kentucky, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. 

Dr. Paul entered the following into the Congressional Record:

Mr. PAUL. Mr. President, as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize an outstanding Kentucky small business that exemplifies the American entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop of Corydon, Kentucky, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.       

Entrepreneurship is undoubtedly a unique career path. I guarantee if you ask any small business owner about the genesis of their business, you will find that each start-up story is distinct in its own way. For Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop, baking had long been a hobby of founder and owner, Marganna Stanley, who spent the past 30 years working as an educator in the schools of Henderson County, the last six of which as Henderson County School Superintendent. Though she has always been passionate about teaching, Marganna did not let her 2020 retirement stop her from chasing her other dream – that of owning her own business.      

In late 2020, undeterred by the COVID-19 pandemic, Marganna opened Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop, a place where one could shop for gifts of all kinds, including glassware, skincare and bath products, children’s books and toys, along with a host of local artisan products. Even with the wide array of gifts for sale, there are plenty of other attractions at Farm Girl, namely, the excellent home-cooking of Marganna and her staff. As the business name would indicate, baked goods are her specialty. The team at Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop work tirelessly to ensure that every customer has more than enough options to choose from. From cookies to layer cakes, muffins to pies, sour dough loafs to her signature tall cupcakes, Marganna and her team stay busy in the kitchen.  

As the only restaurant in the town of Corydon, Marganna makes sure Farm Girl always has some hearty Kentucky cooking on hand to satisfy any appetite. Though sweets are Marganna’s specialty, sub sandwiches, soups, and sliders are common attractions at Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop. Moreover, Marganna brings her experience as an educator and her love for teaching to her new business venture. When stocking her shelves with Christmas gifts for the holidays, she made sure to include educational books and toys for young children. She keeps the Farm Girl atmosphere fun by creating competitions for her devoted customers. In the summer of 2021 she announced that the customer who bought Farm Girl’s 10,000th tall cupcake would receive a $100 prize. She ended 2021, her first full year in business, having sold 9,678 of these tall cupcakes. Shortly thereafter Farm Girl hit that 10,000 milestone and that $100 bill found itself in one lucky customer’s pocket. Her effort to bring a fun and engaging feeling to her business harkens back to Marganna’s tenured career as an educator. Needless to say this beloved presence in Henderson County is still brightening the faces of Corydon residents, young and old.

Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop is a wonderful example of how old passions can lead to new adventures. Always a great steward of her community, Marganna did not let a pandemic delay or deter her from pursuing her dream of serving Henderson County outside of the classroom. Always with a friendly smile, she continues on as a steadfast member of her community, and Henderson County parents and alumni alike make sure to stop by Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop to see her familiar face. Congratulations to Marganna Stanley and the entire Farm Girl Gifts and Bake Shop team. I wish them the best of luck and look forward to watching their continued growth and success in Kentucky.

As Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Paul continues the tradition of honoring America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. The Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship oversees proposed legislation on matters relating to the Small Business Administration and investigates all problems relating to America’s small businesses.
 

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