A Bensonhurst pastry chef is opening a new bakery on Park Slope’s Fifth Avenue in the wake of a failed online fundraiser, which may not have raised any cash, but garnered some great press!
“So, that wasn’t successful financially, but I think it was worth doing anyway, because I got a lot of publicity,” said Lindsey Hill, owner of Miss American Pie.
Hill — who’s operated a pie-only digital storefront since 2017 — will celebrate the grand opening of her debut brick-and-mortar location between Warren Street and St. Marks Place on Aug. 17, where she’ll offer a variety of tasty treats, without neglecting the dessert that’s served as her bread and butter for the last two years, she said.
“My signature pie is my best seller. It’s apples, peaches, and blueberries with an oak crumb topping and a butter lattice crust,” said Lindsey Hill, owner of Miss American Pie. “Also, my coconut cream pie. It’s very fresh and delicious. Even people who don’t like coconut like it.”
Hill originally migrated to the city from northern Illinois to pursue a career in fashion, but after 12 years in the biz, the Midwestern gal found her true calling in the kitchen, leading her to setup the online bakery, where she sells homemade pies for delivery to Manhattan, Staten Island, and Brooklyn starting at $45.
She launched her $30,000 Kickstarter campaign earlier this summer, offering backers incentives including the Pie Lover’s Reward card, which promised one slice of pie, one beverage, and one pastry every day for a year in exchange for $5,000.
But Hill only managed to garner about $8,000 in pledges from 73 backers — money which, due to Kickstarter’s policy that fundraisers must exceed their goal to pay out, she never saw. However, the campaign did invite some nice coverage from local blogs, such as Bklyner and Park Slope Patch.
But all’s well that ends well, and Hill was able to turn to a well-heeled, pastry-loving pal to really kick start her new baking venture.
“Just from talking about the details with my good friend, without even me asking, offered my an $80,000 loan with a low interest rate,” said Hill.
The baker’s hope now is that Brooklynites will see her 20-seat shop as more than a baked-goods depot — with opportunities for community pie eating contests, private birthday banquets, and holiday parties. She also plans to feature a revolving selection of Brooklyn based artists on a community wall inside the shop.
“I really like the idea of having community, local art on display for free and giving them a venue to show their art,” she said. “After a month or two, I’m going to rotate out for the next person.”
