Pie Perfection

New restaurateur obsessed with sweet treats

Pies,” says Shannon Parks Strickland, “are the new cupcakes.” While frosted minicakes have certainly become a sweet treat trend of late, Strickland is convinced pies are the next in line, because, well, who doesn’t like pie?

Strickland has always been the dessert chef of her immediate family, and she’s got sugar in her bloodlines. A family member opened the Parks Purity Pie Company in Terre Haute, Ind., in 1925. The family sold the business in 1948, but pies carrying the Parks name were served there until 1995. Strickland has relocated the name, a few historical photos and a souvenir antique pie plate bearing the Parks Pies logo to an Airstream trailer parked just off College Avenue in Fayetteville. Her version of Parks Purity Pie Company, which uses approximations of the old family recipes, opened about two weeks ago.

Strickland has never owned a restaurant, but she’s been baking pies for years. From her home in the Huntsville area, she crafted homemade creations for friends and relatives. That led to the idea of opening a more public location.

“It was a hobby, and now it’s a hobby gone crazy,” she says.

Also going crazy are sales. She’s sold out her stock almost every day she’s been open. Four days after opening, Strickland decided to hire one of her customers.

It takes a lot of time to make pies from scratch. Fruits, such as apples for the best-seller, a Dutch apple pie, are peeled daily. Strickland makes that pie’s salted caramel sauce and its crumb topping from scratch, and she also makes the whipped cream for pies such as the coconut cream.

There’s a reason for the extra time — she’s obsessed with quality to the point she dreams about the crust. It’s proved worth it so far, according to the customers.

“Someone said, ‘This pie is better than my grandma’s. But don’t tell my grandma,’” Strickland says.

Currently, pie sells only by the slice ($4.49) and can be paired with ice cream for an extra dollar. The only other menu item beyond the rotating pie selection is coffee ($1.50).

Parks Purity Pie Company originally sold whole pies on a regular basis, but it depleted the supplies too quickly. Strickland takes special orders for full pies ($18-$25) and asks for 24 hours of lead time.

Upcoming Events