A slice of pie is moving in on the cute cupcake.
Pie Sisters, opened Jan. 5, offers a fresh alternative to the cupcake-dominated scene in D.C. Located across from the Key Bridge, the shop offers traditional-sized pies and cuppies – their own version of mini pies.
The all-female trio of owners – and the bakery’s namesake – sisters Allison, Erin and Cat Blakely, each bring a breadth of culinary experience. Erin took culinary classes and Allison worked at a bakery in New York. Erin explained that the sisters grew up with a tradition of baking pies with their mother.
“We grew up doing this, we loved baking and we thought it was a natural thing to do…we were all involved in it when we were younger…it was an entrepreneurial type of thing that we always dreamed of,” Erin said.
With their own shop, the sisters wanted to put a unique spin on the traditional notion of pies by creating their own cuppies and switching up conventional recipes.
“Our recipes are a mix, I would say. Some we got from our mom, some from our grandmom and some from my mom’s friend in college. I think pie is very traditional…it’s interesting getting ideas from different people and having our own take on the recipe,” Erin said.
The shop itself is also something they hold close. Allison describes finding wood from a farm in North Carolina, bringing in things they care about and a focus on creating a “homey” place as important creative concepts.
The pies range from the traditionally sweet apple and pecan to decadent coconut cream and chocolate pecan. They also have savory flavors like chicken pot pie and sweet potato. Each pie is homemade, which the sisters feel adds a special taste.
The sisters, natives of Great Falls, Va., chose Georgetown for their shop’s location because of the connection they felt with the community and the urban environment.
“We love Georgetown. We love the vibe of it. There’s such a mix of people here. You have the students; you have the old Georgetown community. We grew up going to church at St. John’s, so we grew up in the area. It plays into the tradition of where we come from,” Erin said.
Despite their new-kid-on-the-block status, the pie shop has already garnered an enthusiastic response from the community and its devoted customers – some of who are crossovers from the shop’s online-only days. And when it comes to competing with the cupcake? Erin said pies have no competition.
“No one’s really doing what we’re doing. Our cupcakes are much more labor-intensive. It’s a different option, considering there are hundreds of cupcake shops. We don’t see it as competition,” Erin said.
The sisters have gone beyond pie to use their sweet creations as the official dessert sponsors of “A WINNter Affair,” the proceeds of which will go to The Children’s Inn at National Institutes of Health.
“The crucial part of our whole business was to be part of the community, give back to the community, meet people in our community and support local businesses in the area. It’s not just about the company, but what the company can also do for the community,” Erin said.
All three sisters share the work of both the financial and creative sides of their business with their own specialties. Erin, who has experience in fashion, prefers the creative side, while Allison, with a background in finance tackles the number-crunching, business aspect. The youngest sister, Cat, recently back from Iraq after working for a government contracting position, works for the Department of State. Despite a hectic schedule, she comes in the morning to help out in the shop and returns in the evening to close.
Pie Sisters is located on 3423 M St., NW.
