Meet Briana Carson of Crave Pie Studio in Gwinnett County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Briana Carson.

Briana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In 2010 I was laid off after a 20-year career with a global telecommunications company. I had a love of cooking, so I decided to attend culinary school to figure out what I wanted to do for the next chapter of my life. Prior to that time, I disliked baking, but Baking 101 was required in the program. For the practical final exam, we had to bake an apple pie. It was at that time that I fell in love with pie. Not long after that, I left school to pursue an independent study of the craft of pie baking.

In 2011 before my husband Greg was about to be deployed with the Georgia Army National Guard, he encouraged me to pursue my passion. Armed with a few solid recipes I developed, I rented space in a commercial kitchen and began selling pies at festivals and farmers markets. In 2012 a retail space became available in the charming historic district of Duluth. Main Street felt like a perfect place to open a small business, so I opened Crave Pie Studio – an artisan pie bakery.

Has it been a smooth road?
Going from a corporate 9-5 environment to being a business owner who is responsible for every aspect of the operation was a challenge and there was definitely a learning curve. I wasn’t prepared for the 24x7x365 commitment it takes to be a business owner. I didn’t take a day off for the first several years and it took five years before I took a family vacation. In running the business, I took a lot of what I learned at culinary school and applied it to my business plan, so I had a strategy, but there were unforeseen challenges I had to conquer that I didn’t learn about in the classroom. For example, I never learned that when a heating element on a stove blows out, it will involve a loud explosion and sparks and is quite terrifying! I have sometimes been discouraged by the inconvenient timing and high cost of equipment repairs and maintenance, but I have learned to put those inevitable expenses in the budget now. I have had the good fortune to have met seasoned professionals and cautionary elders who have been generous in sharing their knowledge in areas where mine was lacking. The obstacles and challenges are definitely offset by the passion I have for the work.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Crave Pie Studio story. Tell us more about the business.
Crave Pie Studio is a boutique pie bakery. We employ artisan bakers who handcraft dessert and savory pies. Our recipes range from American heritage classics to unique flavors inspired by the seasons and the creativity of our bakers. We offer a variety of mini two-serving pies daily and bake family size pies by custom order. Our daily menu is posted on Facebook.com/cravepiestudio.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
As more and more people become educated about processed foods, I think there will be an increased demand for baked goods made from wholesome fresh ingredients.

Contact Info:

• Address: 3107 Main Street
  Suite B Duluth, GA 30096
• Website: www.cravepie.com
• Phone: 6784857198
• Email: briana@cravepie.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/cravepie
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/cravepiestudio
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/cravepie
• Other: www.instagram.com/thehappiecamper

Image Credit:
Janet Howard Studios, Emily Schultz Photography, Genevieve Garcia, Briana Carson

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