Maplewood’s pie shop Pie Oh My! has announced its plans to permanently close after doors shut on March 14. The bakery at 2719 Sutton Blvd. originally opened in 2012 and has been the area’s go-to for both seasonal classics and fresh takes on old favorites.
Owners Melennie and Alan Lorence, who took the reins in April of 2016, agreed it would only be right to celebrate one last Pi Day before closing the bakery’s doors for good. The annual March 14 celebration of pie is a pun on the mathematical constant Pi (commonly shortened to 3.14) and continues to grow in popularity each year. “It’s one of our busiest days of the year,” Alan added, “we didn’t want to let our customers down by closing any sooner, and it’ll be nice to go out with a bang.”
He shared that the decision to close was not motivated by low business, staff shortages or other pandemic restrictions, but rather to restore some balance to the co-owners’ lives. “It’s not you, it’s us,” head chef Melennie has been known to tell regulars since the closure announcement. Alan noted that their close relationships with customers are what he and his wife will miss the most about owning Pie Oh My! “Pie is probably the most nostalgic, memory-laden dessert for people. We’ll miss hearing those stories and making those connections with customers.”
For now, the couple looks forward to getting some rest and relaxation, enjoying quieter holidays without pie-making en masse and eventually returning to a forgotten passion for home baking.
Until March 14, the bakery will run business as usual, with opening hours remaining 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. or until sold out Thursday through Saturday. The Pi Day menu will feature classics such as apple, cherry and pecan pies and potentially some other non-traditional flavors. Pies can be purchased in whole or by the slice.
No plans have been announced for future occupants of the Maplewood space yet.
This article appears in March 2022.