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By Lauren Bolden, Owner, Pie Bar
Cover Photo: Pie Bar 2015
I am so glad you love pie enough to officially become a Frequent Pie-er. You are a total baller, and I cannot wait to get to know you!
If you don't mind humoring me, I would love to stroll down memory lane for a hot second and share with you the story of how Pie Bar began.
If you will please close your eyes, picture a crackling fire in a wood-burning stove, me..in a rocking chair sipping hot cocoa, and you..on the rug at my feet..eager to hear this ol' gal share a tale or two.
Now open your eyes you weirdo..you're going to need them to read this.
n 2014, I decided that government work was not for me (I worked at the State Capitol at the time)..so I took the next logical step, and started baking pies. My experience was lacking, my skills were rudimentary, but my passion for doing something new and different was strong.
I started making pie crust from scratch and serving pies to my co-workers in exchange for feedback and praise. We reached a point where my co-workers were getting a little sick of the whole shake down, and Cody brought up how much money I was spending on ingredients (#Butter ain't free, y'all!) so I thought.."Well, I guess I should sell them". No joke. Just like that. My confidence served me well, even if my pies weren't quite ready to make their market debut, I just went for it.
Lots of places said "No, weirdo, you cannot sell your pies here," but some places must have felt bad for me, because they said "Yes." What began as a hobby, rapidly turned into a lot of late nights, early mornings, and me crying over runny whipped cream.
As the year changed and became 2015, I knew I couldn't sustain the balance between pursuing my passion and working my day job. The time had come for me to decide: Do I quit my job and really try this thing, or do I quit baking pies and go back to a normal life?
Spoiler alert..I quit my job.
Thirty days later (no joke), on September 1st, 2015, Pie Bar in Downtown Woodstock was open. A few days after opening I wrote a brief blog about our first week in business. Feel free to read back on "2015 Lauren" and metaphorically pat her on the head. You can practically see the tear stains on the screen.
Year One of any new venture is tough. Looking back now, I know we could not have made it through Year One without the help of our community (people like YOU!) and lots of fast food burritos.
Generally, I would like to continue on with the story; however, the metaphorical fire is waning, my hot cocoa mug is empty, and your eyes are beginning to droop.
I think it is best for me to pause this story for another time. The good news is, Pie Bar has been around for more than 1 year..so feel free to click on over to Year Two.
Talk soon!
Lauren Bolden
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