GRAPEVINE, Texas — On the day before Thanksgiving, a long line of loyal customers formed outside of JudyPie along Grapevine’s Main St. before doors opened.
Judy Grant, a Grapevine resident, said she has picked up pies from the shop every Thanksgiving over the last five years.
“These taste so homemade, and I don’t have the time to make them. I’d rather support the mom-and-pop places,” Hollis said. “Last year, we didn’t have to stand in a line.”
Hundreds of people lined up outside of the shop throughout the day. Around the building, an even longer line of people formed for more than 1,000 pre-orders.
On Tuesday, the shop sold out by noon, just an hour after it opened.
Wednesday, they were prepared to meet even higher demand. Owner Judy Lynn Balunda said the demand for her pies is higher than it was in previous years.
From different variations of pecan pie to pumpkin pie, chocolate cream and key lime pie, everything is hand-made from recipes passed down by her mother.
“It brings back such special memories of family and my mother and aunt who were my people,” Balunda said.
Balunda, who opened her shop nine years ago, said she wasn’t prepared for the amount of growth they’ve seen over the years.
This year, USA Today named JudyPie one of the 10 best pie shops in the U.S. JudyPie, which came in 5th place, was the only Texas pie shop to receive the nomination.
“It just kept getting bigger and better,” Balunda said. “It’s a good problem to have, but I'm especially proud of our JudyPie family. My three bakers work very very hard. They start at four or five in the morning [during Thanksgiving week].”
Southlake resident Jennifer Hollis lined up 30 minutes before doors opened for the highly-coveted Thanksgiving pies.
“I got one of everything,” Hollis said. “As soon as they opened the doors, everyone was rushing in.”
WalletHub estimates the average shopper will spend $321 this Thanksgiving.
While JudyPie sees success, another small business down the block is closing its doors. The owners of Mercantile on Main announced they’ll permanently close on Christmas Eve. Owner Jeanett Antolin told WFAA the buildings and others along Main St. were bought out by Long View Equity, an Austin-based investment management company. Their rent would’ve doubled, and they simply can’t afford to stay,” Antolin said.
Antolin said other local businesses could potentially close.
As Balunda looked out at the large crowds lined up for her sweet desserts, she expressed gratitude for the community’s support for her small business.
“I have no words. It’s just I can’t believe they're here for my pie. It’s just… I’m thankful and grateful,” Balunda said.