“Nana’s Apple Pie” Earns Praise and Profit in New York City

Notes from Chris

Episode 327

Today is a day often marked by major football games, watching gargantuan floats meander by in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the gazillionth time you’ve had to sit through a rendition of your Uncle Mike’s epic fishing tale (seriously, I swear that fish gets bigger and bigger with each telling).

But when you look past the stuffing and cranberry sauce, Thanksgiving is, at its roots, a time when we take stock and express our gratitude to loved ones.

Now, the first thing you need to know about today’s side hustler, June Frances Coleman, is that while she is a New Yorker working in the film industry, her familial roots go back to Alabama—the home state of her mother—where hospitality and an abundant amount of food can always be counted on. As is traditional with many Southern families, sharing cooking responsibilities in the kitchen and meals at the dinner table was not just something you did when all of your schedules lined up—it was an absolute necessity. It was how they connected and celebrated all of life’s little and big victories.

The holidays lost some of their appeal when June’s mother passed away. Since so much of the focus was on spending time with family, Thanksgiving and Christmas were especially rough.

But, in the fall of 2011, just over two years after the death of her mother, June began to get excited about holidays again. One day right around Thanksgiving, June received some unexpected visitors to her Washington Heights residence. The couple who lived next door had gone apple picking with their young son and decided to share in their bounty by bringing her a bushel of apples. It reminded her of a simpler time similar to how she grew up where neighbors were on a first name basis and shared what they had. And most of all, it reminded her of her mom.

June was moved by their kindness and—though she was still grieving—she couldn’t help but think, “What would mom do?” It occurred to her that her mom would bake a couple of pies and share one with this lovely family.

But what started as a gesture of gratitude evolved into so much more for June. She took her love of baking to the next level with her seasonal pop-up shop, Fancy Pies, which brings in an additional $10,000 a year and allows her to honor her mother's baking legacy.

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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Fancy Pies: June has a new website coming out soon that will allow you to order your pies online, but here's a look at the awesome pie lineup that she's rocking!

SEE ALSO:

• Shopify | Why Run a Pop-Up?: Interested in taking the pop-up shop model for a run? Here's a massive guide to help you get started!
• 17-Year Old Canadian Makes $7,000 from Holiday Pop-Up Shop: Having grown up with an interest in entrepreneurship, a high school student starts a holiday pop-up shop that earns $7,000 in just one month
• British Pub Manager Bakes Pork Pies for Profit: A British pub manager has a creative idea for new pub food that he initially uses to help his boss but then realizes that it might be better for himself

Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,