My mother’s pie story started when she was traveling through San Francisco with one of her good friends looking for the best Coconut Cream Pie in town. To her amazement, she could not find anything that could compare to the Coconut Cream Pie she made with her mom’s family recipe. When she returned to Lexington, she was motivated to see if there was a pie shop in town that carried Coconut Cream Pie. Not only could she not find a Coconut Cream pie, but she could also not find a pie shop.
With a little encouragement from family and friends, she ventured into the pie business and opened Sweet Magnolia Pie Shoppe in Lexington, Kentucky. She found an affordable space in Southland shopping center and started baking pies. Soon customers began asking for cake, so mom decided to try baking a few using her favorite family recipes. It wasn’t long before she outgrew her small space in Southland Shopping center and she relocated to Chinoe Centre where she could expand her baking to cakes, cookies, and even wedding cakes! Over the next 25 years Sweet Magnolia Pie Shoppe became one of the most beloved dessert shops in Kentucky as she baked the sweetest desserts for all to love. This venture not only made for a sweet life, but Sweet Magnolia brought her family closer together as their life revolved around the pie shop with Nana, Grandaddy, Aunt Dede, Michelle, and many other family members “Pinching Crust” by her side. While she was baking cakes and pies, she was cooking up a “Sweet Life” for us all.
