Orange County Welcomes The Pie Hole With Open Arms And Lines Out The Door
The Pie Hole, the popular Downtown Los Angeles pie and coffee shop opened its first Orange County location last month in the historic Old Towne Orange district. It is also the chain’s first franchised location, which comes after opening a second corporate location in Old Town Pasadena and prior to a third site in Hollywood (slated for a late-June opening).
It’s been quite an adventure for Rick and Madeleine Anaya – franchisees of the Orange location – who also plan on opening two more locations in the county.
“We absolutely loved the product – from the savory (my favorites are the Chicken ‘n Cornbread Pot Pie and Swiss & Leek Quiche) and sweet (Earl Grey Tea Pie and Salted Caramel Pecan Pie are must-haves) pies; to the artisan coffees (horchata lattes and nitro cold brews). The food was so good, we couldn’t possibly be the only fans, and felt the need to share it with our Orange County residents. They were missing out!” says the couple.
And they for sure are not the only fans. The Pie Hole pies are raved about from famous celebrities like JJ Abrams (of Star Trek and Star Wars fame) and magazines (Conde Nast’s “Best Pies In America”); and their Yelp account boasts foodies who travel from all over Southern California to hang out and get their taste buds rocked.
It wasn’t just a consumer-based decision for Rick and Madeleine to get involved. “The business model was brilliant – everybody loves pie and coffee, and it’s a daily purchase that customers make. Not only that – where most restaurants only serve 1-2 day parts, this brand does an amazing breakfast, lunch, dinner, late night, in-between, catering, and seasonal business” – referring to The Pie Hole’s crazy Thanksgiving pre-orders for the famous pumpkin pie that sells out yearly.
Although their store has only been open for a month, their success is helping to fuel more stores in Orange County in the future. They are actively looking at sites from the 1500-2000 square foot range; are dense with residences and office workers who eat out frequently; and are convenient for customers to access.
