Try Pie Bakery

Introduction / Overview

For local users across Iowa, Try Pie Bakery in Waterloo offers a distinctly feel-good culinary experience. This is not just a place to satisfy your craving for delicious baked goods; it is a true social enterprise with a powerful mission that is deeply embedded in the Cedar Valley community. The core mission of Try Pie Bakery is to empower a diverse group of teen girls in life and leadership skills through meaningful work, all accomplished through the making and selling of truly great pies. This structure uses employment—from hands-on kitchen work to leadership roles in finance and marketing—as a tool to equip young women for their futures. By choosing a pie, a shake, or even a bag of coffee here, you are directly investing in the job skill development, financial literacy, and personal growth of local Iowa teens.

Since moving to their current storefront location in 2018, after five successful years of operation, Try Pie has become a prominent fixture in downtown Waterloo. Customers consistently rave about the quality of the pies, noting the beautiful flavors, from classic apple and mixed berry to more unique offerings like rhubarb raspberry lavender. They are well-known for providing a fresh, fun, and memorable alternative to traditional desserts, particularly for large events like weddings, where their commitment to accommodating special requests, such as allergy concerns, has earned them high praise.

Location and Accessibility

Try Pie Bakery is conveniently situated in downtown Waterloo at 522 Mulberry St, Waterloo, IA 50703, USA. This location is central and easily accessible for residents across the Cedar Valley. The storefront provides a welcoming and "cute bakery" environment for visitors looking to quickly grab a personal pie or linger over a cup of coffee. The bakery is committed to ensuring a comfortable visit for all local patrons, offering practical solutions for access and parking.

For those planning to visit for takeout or in-store pickup, the following amenities ensure a hassle-free experience:

• Wheelchair accessible entrance
• Wheelchair accessible parking lot
• Free street parking

Furthermore, their presence extends beyond the storefront, as the Try Pie Food Truck travels throughout the Waterloo and Cedar Falls area during the summer months (typically May through August, when students are out of school), serving up delicious treats and ensuring that their mission-driven pies reach even more local Iowans.

Services Offered

Try Pie Bakery is designed to serve the Iowa community flexibly, offering several ways to access their wonderful products, whether for a quick individual treat or a large event. Their operations support both retail customers and corporate/special events:

• Delivery: Pies and other items can be delivered to local addresses, providing a convenient option for special occasions or bulk orders.
• In-store pickup: Customers can easily order ahead and pick up their items at the 522 Mulberry St storefront during business hours.
• Takeout: The standard service for customers purchasing items like individual mini pies or Pie Shakes for immediate enjoyment.
• Onsite services: This primarily relates to catering and event services, where they supply their pies as a dessert vendor, noted for being a phenomenal choice for weddings and other large gatherings.

Features / Highlights

Try Pie Bakery is unique in its identity as a social enterprise, with every menu item and piece of merchandise being intrinsically tied to its mission. Their food and retail offerings are designed for quality, variety, and convenience, making them a standout choice in the Iowa bakery landscape.

• Signature Pies and Mini Pies: They offer both whole frozen pies for future baking and fresh-baked mini pies, which are available year-round for a personal treat. Popular flavors include 4" Raspberry Pie ($4.60) and 4" Peach Blackberry Pie ($4.60).
• Frozen Whole Pies for Home Baking: For those who want a homemade experience without the effort, they offer 9" whole frozen options like Frozen Peach Blackberry Pie ($18.40) and Frozen Blueberry Pie ($18.40).
• Innovative Pie Shakes: A fun and refreshing twist, Pie Shakes blend their famous pie with ice cream. Customers can enjoy flavors such as Triple Berry Pie Shake ($6.90) and Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Shake ($6.90).
• Mission-Focused Merchandise: Support the youth program directly by purchasing branded items like the Tote Bag ($5.75) or a Mug ($11.50).
• Full Coffee Service: They offer both a simple Cup Of Coffee ($2.59) and whole Bag of Coffee, perfect for pairing with a fresh slice of pie.
• Payment Flexibility: The bakery accepts Credit cards, Debit cards, and NFC mobile payments for a quick checkout.
• Social Enterprise Model: All revenue generated from pie sales supports their youth development program, which provides local teen girls with paid work experience, financial stewardship training, and mentorship.

Contact Information

If you are in the Iowa region and wish to support the mission, place a large order, or simply find out what is freshly baked, here is the contact information for Try Pie Bakery:

Address: 522 Mulberry St, Waterloo, IA 50703, USA

Phone: (319) 404-7008

Mobile Phone: +1 319-404-7008

What is worth choosing

For local Iowans, choosing Try Pie Bakery is perhaps the easiest decision you'll make all week, as every purchase is a direct contribution to the community's future. The incredible value here is two-fold: you get a phenomenal, delicious, and high-quality product, and you simultaneously fuel an essential teen employment and empowerment program. This is the definition of a local business with a big impact.

What makes the pie truly worth choosing? Quality. The pies themselves are consistently hailed as outstanding, perfect for everything from a personal treat—as noted by the reviewer who found the personal pies "pretty good and they tasty"—to serving as a highlight at a major event. The chocolate silk pies, in particular, have been celebrated as a major hit at weddings. Their willingness to accommodate complex allergy requests, such as removing almonds from a crumble topping, highlights a level of customer care that goes above and beyond a typical bakery.

Furthermore, the unique offerings like the Pie Shakes provide a modern, fun way to enjoy their classic pie flavors. By choosing Try Pie, you are not just buying dessert; you are supporting a social enterprise that helps bridge community divides, provides financial literacy, and gives young women the confidence and skills they need to succeed long after they leave the kitchen. The decision to support Try Pie is a vote for quality baking and a stronger Waterloo community.