Niles Pie Company bakes the pies that bring you happiness! Come help us get the equipment for our new home! Read more
Niles Pie Company bakes the pies that bring you happiness! Come help us get the equipment for our new home!
About this project
Niles Pie Company loves you!! We did it!
I can't tell you how completely wonderful this is! What an amazing community of pie-loving fabulousness you are! I am absolutely wallowing in joy today!
So, now we need some stretch goals. This goal was based on the bare-bones budget to get us in the door - so now let's see what we can do! We could use a walk-in fridge/freezer, instead of reach-ins, and a couple more rolling racks would be a good idea.
$30,000 Stretch Goal
Overall incentive: For every additional $100 in contributions added, we'll be able to donate another 4 pies to Meals-on-Wheels. (If we can make another $5000 in pledges, that means another 200 pies for the program!)
Signed Prints! A 13 x 19 inch matte paper print of either the "Mucha Mandala" or the "Piece Now" designs, signed by the artist, Dave Longey. These are gorgeous. Mucha Mandala print: add $100 to your pledge. Piece Now print: add $75 to your pledge.
Need stuff NOW reward: If you are desperate for a reward before we get in the kitchen early next year, you can pledge for a Holiday Gift Basket for a $75 contribution! We will schedule pick ups for those in mid-December!
Just the Mug: Get one of those fabulous, exclusive Niles Pie "Piece Now" mugs, designed by Dave Longey. You have to be a backer to get one of these. After the campaign, that's it. Finito. A $15 add-on will get it to you.
Just the Tee: The lovely "Mucha Mandala" design by Dave Longey makes a great tee shirt. A $45 add-on will get it to you.
What's so special about Niles Pie?
Niles Pie Company is a great fusion of so much that I love. You can put anything in a pie - it's the most inclusive form of baking I can think of! Sweet, savory, simple or complex. Endless combinations of taste and texture. Color and aroma. Plus - and this is no small part of it - pie makes people happy. Everyone smiles when faced with a pie! And our pie is special. Our pie is rooted in the amazing bounty of the Bay Area. This amazing place that brings us such an abundance of produce and food year-round, just waiting to get tucked into an all-butter, flaky, delectable crust.
When I started Niles Pie, people started dropping cases of fruit on my front porch. We'd open the door, and there was a crate of Meyer lemons! I answered my phone to an offer of a trunk full of apricots from an abandoned family orchard in Milpitas. Walking the dog down 3rd street resulted in an armload of organic Butternut squash. Coming back down I Street meant a couple quarts of honey from a neighbor's bees. The Bay Area is an absolute cornucopia of produce. And our neighborhood of Niles is an epicenter of generosity and congeniality. Everyone is hugely supportive and excited, and everyone has leaped in to help and be part of it. I may have to have my kitchen just slightly outside of Niles, but Niles Pie is really about the generous spirit of our lovely town.
Here's what we do:
Right now we bake twice a week, in our rented kitchen space, fulfilling orders placed online. We deliver to a number of pick up locations around the Fremont area. We also supply pie and pastry to restaurants and cafes. With a full-time kitchen, there will be enough storage space to receive deliveries, rather than drive all the heck over the Bay Area (as much fun as that is). We'll be able to expand pick up locations, cultivate some more accounts, supply CSA's, offer cooking and baking classes, host events, and become a hub of baking and culinary activity in the area!
One of my goals has been to bake as locally and sustainably as possible. I source as much of my produce and ingredients as locally - and seasonally - as I can, and try to be as organic as possible. Another main goal is to be a truly local business - to be part of our community and the surrounding area. So it's a balancing act - keeping prices as low as I can and using the best available ingredients. Starting small has helped me be flexible, and given me time to get the customers to find me. It's working.
I've been a professional baker, pastry chef and cook for over 30 years, with plenty of breaks in between for other careers. Niles Pie is the result of coming back to the business after a pretty long break to raise my son and build a life here in the Bay Area. I've got lots of stories to tell from all different angles of life, and I can safely say I've never been happier than I am in front of a big wooden table with a rolling pin in my hand. If you want to know more about me and my background, and why I love to do what I do, check out this other video made by the fabulous Zoe Toffaleti a few months ago.
So, here's the deal. I need your help. I need to buy equipment. We're doing this on a shoestring, and we need more string.
The funding from this Kickstarter campaign will cover the equipment we need to open up the kitchen. Ovens, walk-in fridge & freezer, bakery cases, tables, rolling racks, all that stuff. We're going to create an awesome kitchen to work in, and an inviting, comfy and fun place to come get your pie. Your help is is key to getting us up and running.
We've come up with some great rewards - stuff you can't resist! David Drew Longey (who made that fantastic logo) is designing a mug and a tee shirt specially for this project. The only way you can get one of these is by donating to the project! There are rewards for your donations you can't get any other way - the baking classes, the party invites, the oven naming, the song, the pie-in-your-honor. We can ship the stickers, tees & mugs, but not the pies -- that wouldn't be very local, would it?
Questions? Send me an email at carolyn@nilespie.com
Risks and challenges
We need to raise the funding to buy our equipment. With everything else in place, the groundwork laid and ready to go, we will be ready to jump right in and get the doors open fast.
I've built out kitchens before, and I'm a solid business person, so I know how to anticipate the hurdles. Niles Pie Company has been tested, so we know the customers are already here - we just need to make them the pie they want when they want it!
So, here we are, at the threshold of Niles Pie's big leap. Come join us!
Learn about accountability on KickstarterFAQ
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Here's what Kickstarter's 'Help' menu says -- "http://www.kickstarter.com/help/faq/backer%20questions#HowCanIChanMyPledAmou
Visit the project page and click “Manage Your Pledge.” Enter a new amount in the pledge amount box. Note that you are not adding to your existing pledge; the amount you enter will be the total amount collected if the project is successfully funded.
If you have trouble adding a new reward, just send me a note, I'll make sure you get it!
Carolyn
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Kickstarter only allows for one reward, so we have to work around it. Click "Manage Your Pledge," and enter a new amount in the pledge amount box. Note that you are not adding to your existing pledge; the amount you enter will be the total amount collected if the project is successfully funded. Then send me a note through Kickstarter about how you'd like the rest of the funds allocated - another reward, or the additional amounts for the pies for the non-profits.
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I’ve been so avoiding that question! The particular space I’m looking at is in Union City – a couple miles up Alvarado-Niles Blvd from Niles. Haven’t signed the lease yet, but the reason I’m drawn to it is that the kitchen is already built out and just needs the equipment, so would be much less expensive to start up. As another potential investor pointed out – a 5 year lease lets me build the equity, then I can buy a building in Fremont and be an anchor. I will retain the pick ups in Fremont for sure, and as a Fremont resident, my heart’s here, as are most of my dollars. When the holidays roll around, it’s the Fremont seniors that get first dibs on pumpkin pies in their gift baskets. That doesn’t change, no matter what. Hope that helps…. And I really thank you for your support, and the question. I’ve been waiting for someone to ask.
Rewards
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Pledge $5 or more
5 backers
A Niles Pie sticker, a listing on the website Founders Wall of Fame, and our sincere thanks!
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $5 or more
2 backers
Piece O' Pie. That's it, in a nutshell....or on a plate. Come on in to the kitchen, pull up a chair, and have a piece of pie -- no reservation required, and you get whatever lovely slice is beckoning to you from the case.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $15 or more
21 backers
One of our 6-inch pies of your choice, sweet or savory, to be picked up locally, and a listing on the website Founders Wall of Fame. A huge thank you. And a cup of coffee if you show up at the right time at the kitchen.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $15 or more
0 backers
Just the mug, because sometimes you drink coffee without the pie. Don't know why you'd do that, but it's a crazy world. Add $5.00 for shipping anywhere in the US.
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $25 or more
50 backers
One of our 6-inch pies of your choice, sweet or savory, to be picked up locally, and a listing on the website Founders Wall of Fame. And a special edition of our Niles Pie Co. mug. We're producing a special mug just for this campaign - it's a one time deal, so sure to be a collector's item! A firm and sincere handshake.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $45 or more
1 backer
Just the tee shirt. The 'Mucha Mandala' and the "Piece Now" design both make a gorgeous tee shirt. We'll send out a survey when the campaign ends to get sizing and style. Add $5 for US shipping.
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $55 or more
18 backers
A 9-inch pie of your choice, to be picked up locally and that super special-edition mug (see above). A listing on the website Founder's Wall, and a deep knee-bend, just to prove I can do it.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $75 or more
10 backers
A 3-month Pie Club membership - pick up a 9-inch pie once a month for three months, and a listing on that website Founders Wall of Fame. If you show up at the kitchen at the right time, there will be fresh coffee too. A deep knee-bend, and a bow of thanks.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $75 or more
9 backers
The Fabulous Holiday Gift Basket. This one will come early, in Mid-December. (We will set pick-up dates right after Thanksgiving.) It will include 2 6-inch Niles Pies, 2 mugs (regular design), a pound of Mission Coffee's Holiday Blend, a little package of our fabulous carmelized meringues, and a sticker. Give this to your favorite pie-loving friends and they will continue to love you at least one more year. Guaranteed.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $75 or more
1 backer
A 13 x 19 matte paper print of the "Piece Now" mug design, signed by the artist, David Drew Longey. Designed from my little iphone photos of my pies. Would look awesome in your kitchen!
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $85 or more
3 backers
Pie for dessert for the residents at SAVE's shelter in Fremont. SAVE (Safe Alternatives to Violent Environments) has a 90-day shelter program for single women and moms with kids up to 18 yrs. They help their clients find new, safe housing. An inspiring and vital program in our city! And for every additional $10 you add to your contribution, another pie is added to our donation. The more the better! See SAVE's website @ http://www.save-dv.org/ for more info about their programs and services!
You can also pledge a higher amount and send me a note how to direct the extra funds. See the body of the Kickstarter for more details on how that works.Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $100 or more
36 backers
A 3-month Pie Club membership - pick up a 9-inch pie once a month for three months. The special edition Niles Pie mug, AND a special edition tee-shirt and a listing on that website Founders Wall of Fame. AND an invite to a special opening party. You can have a deep knee-bend and a bow too, if you remember to ask.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $100 or more
11 backers Limited (9 left of 20)
This contribution level gets pie for about 60 people at Sunrise Village, Abode Services shelter for homeless adults and families in Fremont, CA. Abode is a local community organization, working to end homelessness in the tri-city area, through a variety of innovative services. For more info on them see their site: http://www.abodeservices.org/programs_sunrise.html
You can contribute multiples of this amount for larger contributions - if you give $200, for example, we can provide pie for two dinners.Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $100 or more
6 backers
For this level, we'll be able to donate 15 pies to the Life Eldercare Meals on Wheels in home meal-delivery for people who can't get out to shop. Here's their website: http://lifeeldercare.org/. They serve a really large number of people in the Tri-City area, and I'd be very pleased to be able to contribute. You can also pledge a higher amount and send me a note how to direct the extra funds. See the body of the Kickstarter for more details on how that works.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $100 or more
1 backer
A 13 x 19 inch matte paper print of the beautiful "Mucha Mandala" design, signed by the artist, David Drew Longey. Beautiful!
Estimated delivery:Only ships to: United States -
Pledge $145 or more
4 backers
A six-month Pie Club - pick up a 9-inch pie once a month for six months. Plus the special edition Niles Pie mug, a special edition tee-shirt and a listing on that website Founders Wall of Fame. AND an invite to a special opening party.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $175 or more
20 backers
A full year Pie Club - pick up a 9-inch pie once a month for a WHOLE YEAR. The special edition Niles Pie mug, a special edition tee-shirt and a listing on that website Founders Wall of Fame, and an invite to the special opening party.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $200 or more
23 backers
Don't want to be tied down to the 1x per month thing? Want to get maybe some pastry instead? This reward gets you $250 worth of pie and pastry at the kitchen whenever you want it over the course of a year. And you're coming to the party too of course.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $500 or more
2 backers
Sweet! A full year Pie Club - pick up a 9-inch pie once a month for a WHOLE YEAR. The special edition Niles Pie mug, a special edition tee-shirt and a listing on that website Founders Wall of Fame, and an invite to the special opening party. This cool reward gets you personally thanked in a special Niles Pie Co. song written for the occasion (not by me, thank your lucky stars), performed LIVE at the opening party and then immortalized on the website Founders Wall of Fame. AND a pie named after you for a whole month!
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $600 or more
1 backer
It's a Pie Party! This reward gets you a three hour custom-designed baking party for 8 people! Get your girlfriends together for a fun night out? Or make it a teach-your-husband-how-to-handle-a-rolling-pin party? That could be interesting.... Make the contribution, then you and I put our heads together and come up with something really fun! And of course, everyone goes home with a pie!
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $750 or more
0 backers
TWO one-year pie clubs (you can alternate pick-up weeks, so you get 2 pies a month!), TWO crazy awesome mugs, TWO special edition Niles Pie tee shirts (Made just for this Kickstarter campaign!), that super fabulous party invite. Also, TWO people at a special Niles Pie baking class. At this level, you don't care about that deep knee bend, so we'll skip it. But there's lots of free coffee in your future.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $1,000 or more
2 backers
Wow - you love pie! And we love you! You get EVERYTHING in the $750 reward, plus your name on engraved on the ovens, and a free pastry for a year when you come pick up your pies. Overwhelming gratitude. You are guaranteed to get sick of the gratitude that will be heading your way.
Estimated delivery: -
Pledge $2,500 or more
1 backer
You are one incredible person, to be so generous! You believe in Niles Pie almost as much as I do! For this fabulous donation amount, you get two mugs and two tee shirts, PLUS a special edition pie named after you, on the menu for a month. PLUS FOUR one-year Pie Club memberships (give some as gifts?) AND a special 2-hour private baking class for 6 people. And of course you're coming to the grand party, along with whoever the heck you want to bring. AND you will be the recipient of our undying love. Ask yourself, are you ready for this? I am. I definitely am.
Estimated delivery:
Funding period
- (35 days)
