Buy, Buy This American Pie: Achatz Moves Into Hall Road Locale

Clinton Township resident Michael Pedersen arrived at the new Shelby Township Achatz Handmande Pie Co. at 2 a.m. Friday–six hours before the store was slated to host its grand-reopening celebration.

Pedersen admits he is not a “huge pie fan,” but neither he nor the 50-plus customers who followed him could refuse the promise of free slice cards for a year and samples of the brand’s 25 flavors.

“It seemed like a fun thing to do,” Pedersen said. “I saw the signs (advertising the opening) a couple of days ago and I heard about other openings with people getting in line at 3:30 a.m. and the people at 4:30 a.m. not making (the cutoff).”

Pedersen’s early morning arrival and subsequent first place in line ensured he would receive a free slice card when the store opened its doors at 8 a.m.

Relocated to the storefront between GameStop and Starbucks on Hall Road, Achatz Pie owners Wendy and David Achatz offered the first 50 customers to the new location cards for one free slice of pie every week for a year.

No. 2 and No. 3 customers Carolyn Wilczynski and Rose LaRocca arrived in line at 4 a.m., while customers No. 49 and No. 50, Indra and Hero Mansha, got in just before the cu off around 7:30 a.m.

When asked how they felt about getting in under the wire, the Mansha’s said simply, “Lucky.”

For Carol Halligan of Sterling Heights, it was the opposite. Arriving as No. 55 in line, Halligan was just a slice too late.

“I think they should go five over,” she said. “They’ve already given more than $7,000 in free slice cards, what’s a little more? I was going to use it for hospital visits, a birthday handout … I wasn’t going to eat it all myself.”

While Halligan and the customers who followed didn’t receive one of the $7,800-worth of free slice cards, the first 400 customers were given goodie bags with two slices of pie apiece.

“Our mission is to sell a great product,” said Wendy Achatz. “Our pies are all natural and we use 90 percent local ingredients from Michigan. That makes our pies really unique.”

Achatz Pies are made fresh daily at the company’s bakery in Chesterfield and shipped out six days a week to the store’s seven locations.

Wendy Achatz said as the seasons change, the pie flavors follow suit to ensure the freshest ingredients are used.

“We want customers to have a really happy experience that’s all about pie,” Wendy Achatz said. “They’re not coming in for a root canal. We offer happy, friendly, fast and efficient service and it’s an experience that should be great when you come in for a pie.”

Wendy Achatz and her husband, David, started Achatz Handmade Pie Co. 18 years ago, selling pies from their home in Armada and local farmers markets. Today, locations in Troy, Sterling Heights, Oxford, Beverly Hills, Armada, Chesterfield and Shelby Township serve some 25 flavors of pie as well as other homemade baked goods six days a week.

An eighth location in Ann Arbor is set to open in a few months and Wendy Achatz said customers can expect a similar grand-opening celebration with another 50 free slice cards to the first 50 customers.

Achatz pies are also available in sugar-free, wheat-free and vegan varieties.

The Shelby Township store, located at 45153 Market St., is open Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The location is closed Saturday.