Eyes on the Pies

LAUREN WRIGHT and KEALA YU, the dynamic duo behind the local micro-bakery Pie Slayer, are redefining the art of pie-making.

Their journey began at Salt + Charm, where they met and bonded over a shared love of sugar and a memorable trip to Iceland. It was there Yu encountered a banana-flavored marshmallow dipped in chocolate, inspiring them to create their now-iconic Banana Stranger pie, a layered delight of dark chocolate brownie, roasted banana pastry cream, and salted marshmallow meringue.

“It spiraled from there,” Wright recalls. Their passion for crafting unconventional flavors quickly transformed into Pie Slayer, where they infuse traditional recipes with bold, unexpected tastes. “Nothing is off limits,” Wright says, and Yu adds, “One of us will have an idea, and we just spiral. It ends up being magical.”

After hosting their first pop-up in February 2023, they were surprised by the rapid growth of their brand.

“We thought we’d work our jobs, do this for fun, and see how it went,” Wright says.

But by June of this year, they found themselves fully immersed in their bakery, having signed a lease in November 2023 for the storefront at 129 Princess Street previously occupied by manna provisions.

“Every minute of every day has been spent working,” Wright says. “We quit our jobs and pretty much live here now.” Their husbands are equally involved, supporting the business and sharing meals during the long hours. “We’re all here all the time; it’s like our family is running this.”

As they prepare for their busiest season – Thanksgiving – both bakers are focused on optimizing their operations.

“We’re reorganizing the kitchen for efficiency,” Wright shares. “We added a three-door refrigerator. And we already have almost as many preorders as last year, and we haven’t even officially opened them yet.”

With more than 200 pies sold last Thanksgiving, they’re both excited and anxious about the upcoming demand.

“Keeping up with everything is a challenge,” Yu admits. From inventory management to social media, the operational side of running a bakery can be daunting. “We joke that baking is the easiest part,” Wright says, acknowledging the grind of paperwork and logistics. “We also try very hard to keep up with demand in a way that allows us to have enough inventory yet not generate a lot of food waste.”

Despite the challenges, their love for baking shines through. “The fun part for us is creating,” Yu says, as they continually experiment with their monthly menu. They aim to introduce a mix of popular staples and innovative creations such as sweet potato pie with torched meringue that’s set to debut this holiday season.

“Sometimes it’s hard to plan,” Wright says, laughing. “We’re always tweaking things up until the last minute.”

The bakery’s  late-night hours have also proven successful, with many customers dropping by after dinner for a sweet treat. “It’s been awesome,” Yu says, noting that their shop fills a niche in the downtown area. “People are excited that they don’t have to rush in the morning or only come early on weekends,” Wright adds.

Yu also shares, “We are still wholesaling to Bespoke Coffee and Hidden Grounds, and we are doing a pie for the grand opening of Grimmburger.” While they’re doing fewer markets now, they remain committed to intentional events that give back to the community. “That’s our number one goal when we do events,” Wright emphasizes.

As they look to the future, the pair hopes to expand their team but also appreciates the current intimacy of their operation. “It’ll be bittersweet when we hire someone,” Wright reflects. “Right now, it’s nice to appreciate just being us.”

They also dream of opening on Sunday mornings for breakfast pastries.

Wright and Yu’s creativity is central to the Pie Slayer experience.

“It’s two unhinged brains coming together,” Wright says, emphasizing that their unique creations reflect their identities and passions. “Everything we make is just exactly who we are and what we love,” Yu adds, noting the delight they feel when customers connect with their flavors.

“Everything is baked in this kitchen, on-site and ahead of time. It takes hours to bake, so we can’t make anything to order,” Yu says. “What we create is made with an immense amount of care. We put so much time, effort, and creativity into it. We aren’t a traditional bakery. You can’t go anywhere else and get a Banana Stranger. That’s our brand.”

As they continue to innovate, Wright and Yu remind aspiring bakers to embrace experimentation.

“If it sounds good to you, just do it,” Yu encourages. “Even if it doesn’t work, you tried it.”

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