Pittsburgh college buddies work to turn baking into viable business
Lou Butler knew exactly what he wanted for his future after graduating college in 2011 with a degree in philosophy.
He wanted pie.
More specifically, he wanted to put his talent for baking sweet and savory creations into a viable business.
Butler, along with business partner and fellow Duquesne University alum Wren McGalliard, are collectively the Pittsburgh Pie Guy, a business popping up at area farmers markets with a goal of opening a storefront in East Liberty in coming months. In April, they completed a successful $5,000 Kiva Zip fundraiser — like Kickstarter but with loan reimbursement — for equipment.
“It's a lot of work, but we're doing it because want to see the world have things like this where regular people can just try and spread the food they care about to others,” McGalliard says.
For now, the pair rents the kitchen at an old church building called Earthen Vessels in Friendship. Butler, who's worked odd jobs in restaurants and coffeehouses to get by while his dream comes to fruition, is dedicating his time solely to Pittsburgh Pie Guy this farmers market season.
“What we're doing with this business is not necessarily about making money,” he says. “We really just want to make the best pies we can and through that, make other people happy.”
Butler has been baking since childhood, a skill that earned him plenty of popularity among his college peers. McGalliard has always liked to cook, too, and honed his baking skills under Butler's tutelage.
Word of the pair's sweet treats spread, and they found themselves regularly baking for friends. The name Pie Guy originated there, and despite it being a two-man operation, they opted to use the name for the business.
“It's part of the schtick. People would ask us, ‘Did you bake these?' and we'd say, ‘No,' like it was some mythical being,” Butler says with a laugh. “We're a couple young dudes selling pies — some people said they were better than their grandma's.”
Butler originally planned to pursue graduate school, despite being “disillusioned by the way the university system is structured.” An experience studying abroad in Germany solidified his hunch that grad school was not for him.
“I had gotten to live my life in such a way that I was being true to what I wanted to do,” he says.
McGalliard works at the Carnegie Library in Oakland and sees the business as an investment for his future.
The pair started their venture last year with nothing more than $300 and enthusiasm. Today, they've become well known for their delicious crust — the secret to which is “butter, butter, butter,” Butler admits. The most popular option is the chocolate pecan pie, Butler says. A savory chicken pot pie is also a favorite.
McGalliard's favorite is the banana cream pie — “I could eat just the filling until I get sick,” he says — while Butler just loves working with whatever's in season. They buy fruit from Triple B Farms in Elizabeth and Freedom Farms in Butler.
“That's the beauty of pie — you can put anything in a pastry and it's a pie,” Butler says. “It's so versatile; it's great.”
Megan Jones of Saxonburg stopped by the North Side farmers market on a recent Friday to collect her order of 80 lemon tarts to serve to a church group. She prefers to patronize local businesses and knew the Pie Guy wouldn't disappoint.
“Lou is awesome,” she says. “I contacted him, and he emailed me back immediately.”
Butler cooks with his crop of red hair tucked into a beanie, his flour-dusted Duquesne Cross Country T-shirt nodding to his other passion — running. He also loves to bike and has ridden in several countries.
“I like adventures,” he says. “And this whole business is an adventure.”
This summer, Pittsburgh Pie Guy will be at farmers markets in Fox Chapel, Bloomfield, the North Side, Squirrel Hill and Downtown. Pies cost $20 for a 10-inch, $6 for a 5-inch and $3 for a 3-inch. Details: www.pghpieguy.com
Rachel Weaver is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-320-7948 or rweaver@tribweb.com.
