Marti and Frank Reich have a sweet tale to tell. Maybe that's why they decided to go into the pie-baking business.
The couple, who met when they were tweens, were living the American dream when the recession hit. Marti explains that in 2008, "we had to walk away from the business we were in." To provide for their family, Frank drove a truck on cross-country hauls.
Soon, however, the long stretches away took their toll. "We needed to be together," Marti, a nurse by trade, says. It was then they decided to take a passionate hobby and turn it into a business. Frank, you see, loves to bake pies for family and friends, and Marti has done catering. Together, they decided to start a pie company -- but not before doing their due diligence.
After sending their youngest son off to college, the couple set off on a journey to do pie research. "We went from here to San Francisco, eating pie and talking to people along the way," Marti says. After a lot of consumption of baked goods, it was time to bring what they learned home to South Florida.
The Good Pie Co. opened quietly on November 5, 2013, sharing kitchen space with Cookielicious, a baker that sells at farmers' markets in South Florida. Both Marti and Frank share the workload. "He does sweet; I do savory. And he does all the crusts. Everything's from scratch, and we never use syrups or canned goods."
Most pies come in three sizes and range in price from $5 to $36 for a nine-inch savory Ruben pie, made with fresh, homemade corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese. Marti's favorite pie? "It changes, but right now I'm really loving the butternut squash with smoked Gouda and edamame. I also love our apple strawberry crumb pie. It's what people crave."
Right now, the small shop doesn't have much of a front retail show space, so the couple is planning on starting a Kickstarter to improve the aesthetics. At that time, Marti says she'll expand the offerings to include salads served in pie shells -- her version of the bread bowl.
The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and it's best to call to see what pies are available or to special-order a pie in advance.
On Thursday, January 23 (National Pie Day), customers can stop in for free mini-pies and pie samples, and on Saturday, January 25, the store will celebrate its grand opening, with pie tastings and a possible pie-eating contest (first prize is a month's worth of pie). Marti welcomes people to just drop in and see what's new. "We're playing every day. We're always experimenting."
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