Laurie's Pie Bar Verified listing

For those who have been in Long Beach for over a decade, Laurie’s Pie Bar is far more than a dessert shop in Downtown, celebrating its 10th year of operating in a brick-and-mortar location. It’s a stalwart Long Beach brand, having started as a cottage kitchen operation before becoming a regular pop-up at the much-missed MADE in Long Beach shop. And then, in February of 2016, signed the lease for the space we now know as Laurie’s Pie Bar.

After all, there are businesses that arrive with investor backing, polished branding, and carefully modeled business plans. Then there are businesses like Laurie’s Pie Bar. Born out of necessity. Sustained by pure feminine grit. And, ultimately, happily embraced by the entire city.

“It’s been an incredibly wild journey,” Laurie said, reminiscing about when she branded the Pie Bar as that of a proudly single 1960s mom churning out sweets in her humble kitchen. “And I think one of the most humbling parts is that there are still customers coming that were among my first when I was hand delivering pies right when they came out of the oven… This is as much a celebration of them as it is my business.”

The end result? The creation of local pie icons: The Key lime pie. The seasonal Bourbon Pecan pie. Cherry Amaretto. Lemon Lavender. Ube Coconut Cheesecake. Crème brûlée pie—a suggestion from her head baker, Tracy, that Laurie initially dismissed. The Dutch Apple pie made with Granny Smith apples, generous spice, and a splash of apple brandy. And, of course, marionberry.

For Brian Addison's full feature on Laurie's Pie Bar, click here.