OKLAHOMA CITY – Nestled in Oklahoma City’s bustling Plaza District at 1711 NW 16th Street, Pie Junkie has been around for a decade now. In that time, the restaurant has consistently been considered the top dessert destination in the Oklahoma City metro. Pie Junky has attracted attention from national magazines, newspapers and websites ranging from People to USA Today to Buzzfeed.

Cofounders Darcy Schein and Leslie Coale-Mossman have watched as their “hobby,” which started in a church, has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade. The growth of Pie Junkie eventually led Schein and Coale-Mossman to their current 1,000-square-foot Plaza District location, where they reportedly sell upwards of 100,000 pies per year.

In November, pre-orders for pies, in time for Thanksgiving, sold quickly, Schein told Southwest Ledger. The holidays are usually the busiest time for the shop. The pies have proven to be very popular with fans looking for a taste of comfort in a world turned upside-down.

At the height of the pandemic, Southwest Ledger interviewed Schein about safety precautions the store’s staff was taking. As Schein said at the time: “We leaned into (the pandemic) and modified our business model,” noting that it became carry-out and curbside pickup only. Some repeat customers would purchase extra casseroles and leave them on their friend’s doorsteps or leave them for those in need.

Schein said last November the owners were probably “more risk-averse than most.”

“We want to keep our staff safe,” she said.

A year later, Schein said Pie Junkie is still busy as ever, and still taking the necessary precautions in their day-to-day operations.

“We still consider COVID as a factor in our day-to-day operations,” Schein said. “Because we work in a small space, our staff continues to wear masks and we appreciate customers who do as well. Our dining room remains closed, so all of our items are prepared to-go.”

Sweet and savory success

While Pie Junkie highlights its sweet pies, Schein said savory pies are also quite popular with customers, many of whom are repeats. So, which is more popular? Sweet or savory pies?

“If I had to guess on sweet versus savory, I would say probably 75% sweet.”

What about those savory pot pies? Schein noted that early in the formation of Pie Junkie, savory chicken pot pies proved popular with the pie-loving public.

“The pot pies have been part of our menu from the beginning,” Schein said. “When we started the business in the church kitchen, we offered to take home meals once a week. Our best seller by far was chicken pot pie. When we change our focus to pies, incorporating pot pies was a natural choice.”

“Our top 10 pies change as our menu changes seasonally,” she said. “But here are some of our favorite regular menu items.”

Pie Junkie’s Top Ten

1. Drunken Turtle

2. Peanut Butter Pie

3. Birddog Buttermilk

4. Pecan

5. Kentucky Bourbon

6. Coconut Cream

7. French Silk

8. Apple Crumble

9. Cherry Crumble

10. Birthday Pie

For more information visit www.piejunkie.com.

CUTLINES:

Two store photos by Andrew W. Griffin 

Two pie photos (Kentucky Bourbon and Drunken Turtle) courtesy of Darcy Schein.