Originally published in the Fall 2020 issue of SPOKE+BLOSSOM

For over 20 years, I have ridden my bike past what appeared to be an abandoned pie shop on Palisade’s East Orchard Mesa. Beginning the summer of 2018, I noticed a new sign touting ice cream as well as pies, outdoor seating and a parking lot lined with cars. Something was definitely going on in there, and I was curious to find out exactly what.

Anita Hix, owner of Anita’s Pantry & Produce, and her partner, John D’Avella, bought Palisade Pies and dusted it off to create a thriving business and community hub. When asked about her pie-making background and successful business plan, Hix simply laughed.

“I get up and if I’m alive, I get busy,” jokes Hix. “That’s my business plan.”

And busy they are. Hix hired her daughter, Kelly Tancer, and gave her an old pie cookbook and let her loose in the expansive kitchen. At one time, Tancer was teased that she could burn water. She has proven them wrong with leaps and bounds.

Tancer has tweaked the dough recipe from six ingredients down to just three, and creates a variety of 50 delicious, hand-made pies each day, sourced from locally-grown fruit. She cranked out 500 pies for last year’s Peachfest and recently shipped 1,000 pies to Fort Collins.

“It’s frustrating sometimes because we can’t keep up,” explains Hix. “I had no idea people ate so many pies!”

Although there are many customer favorites among the myriad of peach, berry, cheesecake, chocolate, cream, latticed and crumble pies available, one pie stands alone. The size of a football and weighing nearly five pounds, their caramel apple pie is by far the best seller.

“I taught her to fill those pies up — this isn’t a grocery store,” adds Hix. “I have little bitty old ladies come in here and tell me Kelly makes pies just like their mothers used to, and they themselves are probably 80.”

Hix gives a lot of credit to the Town of Palisade, wineries, fruit growers and tourists for driving Palisade Pies’ recent accomplishments. Sounds like a whole lot of “humble pie” being served.

D’Avella and Hix get their inspiration and motivation by opening up their kitchen to others, creating a unique community center by investing in people.

“We’re all about giving people opportunity and confidence,” says Hix. “It is so fulfilling to see other people achieve their dreams.”

Tancer was given a new lease on life when they hired her with no experience two years ago. Twice a week, a Fruita woman uses their kitchen to make bread. A young man in the Western Colorado Community College culinary program, who works for them as an intern, is now exploding with ideas. A 90-year-old neighbor comes in and makes cheesecakes, and they sell her eggs at cost. D’Avella hopes local Hispanic women will use their kitchen to make tamales.

“It’s the only place you can come get a cup of coffee and a slice of fresh pie or whatever else is being made in the kitchen that day,” D’Avella explains. “It’s all about community and doing the right thing. Every dollar we make goes right back into the shop.”

The word is out. Palisade Pies dishes out a Mayberry-like community feel, and guarantees a fresh mouthful of Colorado in every bite!

Open year round
**Palisade Pies**
3415 C-1/2 Road
Palisade, CO
970.549.0347

Palisade Pies: Serving Up Fabulous Slices + A Whole Lot Of Love