Why Grand Traverse Pie Company Is One To Watch
Grand Traverse Pie Company
Ask any regular visitor to Grand Traverse County for a quintessential Michigan experience, and theyll likely send you to Grand Traverse Pie Company for pie.
Michigan produces bountiful crops of cherries, berries, and apples, but it took two homesick Michigan State alums to turn those crops into pie for the masses.
Grand Traverse Pie Company founders Mike and Denise Busley grew up in Michigan and moved to California after graduating from college to pursue careers in engineering and business, respectively. By the mid 90s, however, they had two children and were feeling the pull of home.
We asked ourselves how we could make a living in Traverse City, Busley says. We were surprised no one was doing pie like this, and that told us it was either not an opportunity or it was an awesome opportunity.
Twenty years and 16 locations later, the verdict is in. It was an opportunity.
Most people approach pie as a passion, but we approached it as, Can we create a pie shop thats efficient, high quality, and scalable? he says.
The first location opened in 1996, and a second was added in 1999, both of them serving pie only.
We could see what Panera had donebasing a bakery-café concept on breadand we saw that we could evolve into a concept where people had reasons to come in every day, too, Busley says.
Grand Traverse Pie Company
Grand Traverse Pie Co Downtown
I called and ordered a few pies ahead of time. They were fresh out of the oven when I arrived. The pies we got were $18 each which seems pricey but they are amazing. We got a couple cherry pies and an apple caramel pecan…pie. You wont be disappointed!More
Thank you for taking the time to leave a 5 star review. So happy to hear that you enjoyed our pies!
We live in the area and have been to 5 or 6 different locations. All have a high standard of cleanliness and excellent food. The Coconut Cream Pie is the standard by which all other Coconut Pies are judged! Unfortunately this particular location gets a…FAIL. We normally eat at the WEST Front Street location but have twice tried this location, once was earlier this summer and again this Halloween. The Coconut Cream Pie was substandard. Mealy and not as flavorful. Really a huge disappointment when compared to the normal top quality we receive at the other location. We did not post a negative review the first time but now that we have had two in a row…….. Such a bummer. Still gets a two for cleanliness and friendly, knowledgable staff.More
Hi Pumpkin, thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We truly appreciate your feedback and I will be sure to pass this along to our team so we can check our recipe and process. We’d love to have the…More
Grain Train To Lease Space Open Cafe
PETOSKEY After a dozen years of operation downtown, the Petoskey location of Grand Traverse Pie Co. is scheduled to close later this month.
Amy Westphal, who has owned the local Grand Traverse Pie franchise for the past five years, said because of various reasons the shop will close following business hours on Saturday, April 28.
The Grain Train Natural Food Market is slated to lease Grand Traverse Pies space at 316 E. Mitchell St. from building owner Gary Kosch, Grain Train general manager Bob Struthers said. Plans are in the works for The Grain Train to open a cafe in the space similar to what currently exists.
Grain Train wants to come in and open, Westphal said. Im sure theyre going to do a great job. You have to be supportive of each other. Im sure it will evolve.
Grand Traverse Pie Co. started in 1996, with owners Mike and Denise Busley opening the first location that year in Traverse City. The restaurant/pie chain now has 16 franchised and company-owned shops across Michigan and Indiana.
The Petoskey franchise has been in operation since 2006, owned initially by Scott Byrd and since 2013 by Westphal.
I just loved the concept, Westphal said. The concept is just amazing. People come in and have meetings, weve had Bible studies here and theres a group we call the $10 table of a group of guys who regularly come in and buy $1 coffee.
Its a nice place for people to meet and hang out and its been fun for us to watch that.
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Grand Traverse Pie Company
Mike and Denise B.
Business Owner
We serve amazing handmade pies and baked goods as well as delicious food for breakfast, lunch and dinner offering a great variety of sandwiches, salads, soups, warps, and comfort foods such as pot pie, pasties and quiche. Over 95% of our products and ingredients come directly from Michigan companies – including our apples, blueberries, cherries, sugar and flour to name a few.
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Gtpulse: Grand Traverse Pie Celebrates 25 Years With Local Favorite
French silk pie always appealed to me, even before I knew what it was. As a kid whenever I would hear the name I thought it sounded like the fanciest, most regal pie in the world. Upon tasting it for the first time I wasnt disappointed. Chocolatey mousse-like silk topped with whipped cream in a pie shell makes up the cold and delicious French silk pie and isnt actually French at all. American housewife Betty Cooper entered this pie creation into a Pillsbury Bake-Off in 1951 where it placed as a runner-up. The pie may have come second place in the judges eyes but continues to win first place in the hearts of chocolate and pie lovers everywhere today. Up until last week I was unaware that any other types of silk pie exist. It turns out that there does, and one of them is a Traverse City favorite from none other than the Grand Traverse Pie Company.
The first time we had it was in 2019 and it did really well, said Lucy Adams, director of brand standards.
The pie was released as a limited, springtime treat that would be available through March and April. The light, tart flavors were a welcome addition to their pie menu that boasts over 50 different flavors of pie.
The pie wasnt released last Spring 2020 but has made it back to Grand Traverse Pie Co. shelves and will be available through this month and next. My Facebook feed has been filled with enthusiastic cheer from local friends who missed it last year.
The silk that makes a silk pie has a lot of variation.
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