08/27/2026
If you’re upset about all the Dolly Parton products from small businesses flooding your feed this week, please feel free to drop your complaints here. 🩷
Because I have thoughts. 😂
First, I highhhhhly doubt most small businesses saw the news and immediately thought, “HELL YES. A beloved icon died. Time to get rich.” 💰
I mean, truly, I can only speak for myself.
But as someone who has loved Dolly for as long as I can remember, making cookies felt like the right kind of tribute to her. 🤷♀️
That is quite literally what I do.
Something makes me laugh? I make cookies.
The Thunder make the playoffs? Cookies.
Westbrook retires? Cookies.
Someone turns 40? Cookies.
Someone gets married? Cookies.
Someone has a baby? Cookies.
Someone dies who meant something to millions of people? Apparently, believe it or not… cookies.
And yes. I sell them.
Because this is also my job. 😂
But if THAT bothers you, I should probably go ahead and confess a few other things.
I capitalized on Westbrook’s retirement.
I capitalized on the Thunder making the playoffs.
I capitalize on birthdays, weddings, graduations, football season, Halloween, Thanksgiving and gasp even CHRISTMAS. 😱
Absolutely terrible, really.
Profiting off the holiday that literally celebrates the birth of Jesus himself. Somebody alert the authorities.
Except… that’s commerce.
Our entire economy is built around people spending money on the things, people, moments, holidays and cultural events they care about.
Target does it.
Walmart does it.
Amazon does it.
Hallmark has built a whole damn empire doing it.
And somehow we manage to survive without accusing them of personally exploiting the birth of Christ every December.
So I guess my question is this:
Do you have this same energy when a multibillion-dollar corporation has a commemorative collection on the shelves before the news cycle is over?
Or is it only gross when the woman down the street makes six cookies in her kitchen?
Because there IS a difference between exploiting someone’s death and creating something because that person meant something to you, your customers, or your community.
Intent matters.
And personally, I think there are much worse ways to honor someone than artists, bakers, florists, designers, makers and other small businesses creating things inspired by a person who inspired them.
Especially when those few extra orders might pay somebody’s electric bill, buy their kid’s groceries, cover dance tuition, or simply help keep the tiny business they built alive another month.
So if seeing Dolly cookies, shirts, cups, stickers, paintings or whatever else from small businesses bothers you, by all means, keep scrolling.
But maybe save a little of that outrage for the billion-dollar companies.
Anyway.
Dolly cookies are still $20. I’ll link em in the comments. 😉
Hope this helps. 😘