Mama Jo Homestyle Pies in Amherst makes 500-2,000 pies a day, while new shop has high demand

AMHERST, Ohio - Who doesn't like pie straight from the oven? There are a couple of places in the area who can't keep the tasty treats in stores.

Mama Jo Homestyle Pies has been in business since 1993. They spent five years in Vermilion before moving to Amherst. What started out as a mom and pop business has turned into profitable enterprise, employing 22 people.

Owners Jeff and Johanna Mann take great pride in serving people what they want. What they want is “basic pie recipes, no fluff, not to much fancy stuff, people like good old fashioned pie,” Johanna said.

Mama Jo's sells roughly 30 different kinds of pies. They have three monster ovens with each being able to hold as many as 144 pies. They bake anywhere from 500 to 2,000 pies a day.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Johanna’s son, Ken, said these ovens will be on for about three days and crank out about 20,000 to 22,000 pies, mostly pumpkin, of course.

Over the years Mama Jo's has expanded from retail to whole sale, where they sell to the likes of grocery store Heinen's and Convenient Food Mart, among others.

Pie lovers are not just for people who live on the west side.

Simply Delicious Pies just opened its doors last week in Shaker Heights at the corner of Lee Road and Van Aiken Boulevard.

Owner Brittany Reeves and her sister, Beth Kabot, decided to jump in feet first. Reeves said she is swamped with keeping up, but added "she couldn't be happier.”

Even though they have only been open since last week, she already needs to get a larger oven to keep up with the demand. They have about 30 different pies, from fruit pies to cream pies and quiche pie.