HOMEWOOD, Ala. (WIAT) — Call Savage’s Bakery after hours and you’ll likely hear the following message:
“Thank you for calling Savages Bakery. Our owner has made the decision to retire, therefore our last day open will be Saturday, Feb. 14. Please place your orders early for Valentines Week as we will have limited inventory. Thank you and someone will be with you shortly.”
The news, which was first made public Tuesday, shuts the book on a beloved Homewood institution that has baked countless cakes and sweets since 1939. In 1978, Van Scott bought the bakery from the Savage family, keeping it in his own along 19th Street ever since.
While the business’ voicemail cites Scott’s retirement as the reason for closing, the end of Savage’s Bakery comes as Scott and his daughter, Elizabeth, fight over unpaid overtime pay and owed equity she claims he owes to her for running the business for him.
Elizabeth Scott, who was first hired at the bakery in 2018, sued both her and the business on September 4, 2025 in the U.S. District Court of North Alabama. In her complaint, Elizabeth Scott claimed Van Scott had turned over management of the bakery to her in June 2021, designating her with “full authority to execute such documents as may be necessary to accomplish the business affairs or transactions of the company and the bakery.”
As an exempt employee, Scott said her father paid her a bi-weekly salary of approximately $4,800. She also alleged that when he ran Savage’s, Van Scott would routinely use money from the bakery for “personal expenses,” as well as direct her to give him money from the business while she was in charge.
However, there was an expectation.
“When Defendant Scott operated the Bakery prior to 2018, he temporarily postponed paying his own salary based on business conditions and repay himself when revenues permitted for the Bakery permitted such repayment,” the complaint read. “Defendant Scott expected Plaintiff to temporarily postpone paying her own salary based on business conditions and repay herself when revenues permitted for the Bakery permitted such repayment.”
Scott claimed that during her time managing the bakery, from the day she was appointed manager to when she was fired in February 2024, her father did not pay her any salary in 38 different pay periods, totaling to approximately $182,400 that she was owed between June 2022 and February 2024.
“As a result of Defendants’ termination decision, Defendant Scott canceled Plaintiff’s health insurance that provides coverage for Plaintiff, her daughter, and her son,” the complaint stated.
Scott’s daughter, Liza, made news in 2021 after she started selling lemonade in front of Savage’s to help pay for brain surgery she need to correct multiple cerebral malformations that caused her seizures and and internal bleeding. At the time, Scott’s insurance covered the surgery, but the family needed money to be able to stay in New England, where Liza received treatment at Boston Children’s Hospital. Through a GoFundMe, Liza and the family raised nearly $400,000.
In her lawsuit, Elizabeth Scott said Liza continues to suffer from her neurological condition and will continue to require medical treatment in Boston.
“Plaintiff regularly worked sixty to eighty (60-80) hours per week during regular business weeks and as many as 110 hours per week during the holiday season,” the suit stated. “As the result of Defendant’s willful and intentional violation of the FLSA, Plaintiff has been damaged, suffering loss of overtime pay.”
In his response, Van Scott denied ever appointing his daughter to run the bakery, as well as denied that he never paid her a salary or wages. He also denied her allegation that he used funds from the business for himself or that he owed her any backpay.
“Defendants acted in good faith and had reasonable grounds to believe they acted properly in their pay practices with respect to Plaintiff and all other employees,” Van Scott’s response read. Therefore, liquidated damages are inappropriate under the FLSA.”
Since then, both of the Scotts have been engaged in court. In fact, The United States Secret Service has now come into the fold, investigating the case for any alleged financial misconduct. According to court documents, Van Scott has provided the Secret Service with over 2,000 pages of financial documents.
“On December 16, 2025, Defendants were informed the Secret Service’s investigation has advanced and the outcome of such investigation will be critical to Defendant’s defenses in this action,” one document stated.
The case is slated to go to trial sometime in April.
The final day for Savage’s Bakery will be Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
