Oak Cliff Openings
Baking entrepreneur finds sweet home in pie-friendly Oak Cliff
It has become clear that, if you want pie, you'll head for Oak Cliff, where online pie shop Kessler Pie Co. is opening a storefront. The family-owned business has been selling pies for custom orders through its website, but now has a location in the former Roots & Culture gift store at 416 N. Tyler St., where it will open this spring.
Baker Armida Ortega is a native of San Diego, California, who has been baking since 1956, when she was 12. She turned her hobby of baking for family and friends into a business when she began selling her creations at parties, weddings, and catered events.
She bakes whole pies for about $35 to $40, but her cute gimmick consists of individual pies sold in little glass jars. Flavors range from apple to chocolate to coconut cream pie, and everything's made from scratch. Banana cream pie, for example, has fresh banana slices and a banana-infused cream filling, topped with whipped cream.
Armida's daughter Miriam Ortega says that the remodel is underway, and that they're excited to be on that end of Oak Cliff (unlike Emporium Pies, which is located in the more saturated Bishop Arts).
"Our space will be cute, but with a modern aesthetic," she says. "We love that little Tyler Square area, there are a lot of businesses opening, and we're enjoying meeting the new neighbors."
There'll be pies to take home or eat onsite. Kessler Pie Co. will serve coffee drinks and possibly even mimosas on the weekends.
"That's to go with our breakfast pie, which is one of our new savory flavors," she says. The breakfast pie will debut on April 10 at the Urban Bazaar in Oak Cliff, where eight flavors will be available from 12-8 pm.
While there are no guarantees on their opening date, Miriam says they're pushing for a magical deadline.
"We're shooting for Mother's Day, and we'll be happy if we can get open before then," she says. "We still do online orders, with free delivery if you're within a 50-mile radius. It's a lot, but it's important for us to keep doing that until we open."
