People. Passion. Purpose.
We’re proud of the place the Grand Traverse Pie Company calls home. It is a land defined by the seasons, influenced and inspired by water, wind, snow, and sun. A land of bounty that goes far beyond our famous cherries, where rolling hills shelter and nurture strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, and apples. It is a place of small, close-knit communities where families know and support each other, where people are connected to each other and to the land. Our pies are a reflection of our deep relationship with the Grand Traverse area and its people.
First and foremost, we are pie makers. Pie is a celebration of family and tradition, neatly and deliciously packaged in a flaky crust. Our passion is to recreate those memorable “pie moments” from long ago. Our bakers take great pride in crafting each of our pies by hand and baking them slowly until they are just right. Like our grandmothers, they have the “eye for pie.” To that end, we celebrate pie. Every one of us, every day.
Our vision is to spread this love of pie throughout everything that we do and make at the Grand Traverse Pie Company. Our breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu items are created with care to order. Delicious selections made from fresh ingredients that can be enjoyed in the warmth of one of our welcoming locations or to take with you. We ship our pies to all corners of the country for you to share with friends and family. We are committed to using Michigan products and suppliers whenever possible, and strive to be a “connecting point” in each of our communities.
We will continue to focus our collective efforts on our people, our passion, and our purpose so that we may make significant, life-changing impacts in our communities. Pie is simply the vehicle – combining our positive intention and our team’s alignment – in the pursuit of our vision. That’s the Power of Pie.
Our History
There was a time when our Grand Traverse Pie Company owners, Mike & Denise Busley, knew little about making pie. In the mid-90s, the Michigan natives had been living in San Diego with busy careers and two children, but as they approached 40, they felt something was missing. Passion, purpose, connection, home. Their lives changed when they first visited Julian Pie Company in Julian, California and met owner, Liz Smothers. Liz took them under her wing and taught them all they needed to know about PIE. They brought this knowledge back home and, in 1996, opened the first Grand Traverse Pie Company shop in downtown Traverse City, Michigan.
We started small with one pie shop and six employees. Today, we have 11 Grand Traverse Pie shops across Michigan and Indiana supported by a grand group of over 300 pie people. Whether a franchise or a company-owned shop, each GT Pie shop bakes fresh pies every day with the same passion that Mike & Denise did so many years ago.