A blank canvas which is the front parking lot at Marion’s Pie Shop (July 28, 2024). Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.
I first wrote about Marion’s Pie Shop in August 2018, way back when this creative project first launched. In that post, I focused on the joy that is every bite, of the famed, freshly baked, cinnamon nut roll. I also couldn’t help myself joining in the chorus of [coffee] complaints about “just the Keurig.” [I still believe a big revenue-generating opportunity is being missed.]
Fast forward six years later, the summer of 2024, and a recently realized a handful of photographs on my cellphone reveal a fascinating, yet lesser known, story happening at Marion’s Pie Shop. Parking wars. Hold that thought.
The six years between 2018 (again, website launch) and 2024, a lot happened (COVID-19 pandemic, my children arrived, UConn won back-to-back national titles, you know, a lot). But more relatable to this post; in 2022 the owners of Marion’s Pie Shop listed it for sale.
The asking price was $2.9 million for the property, equipment and recipes, but no deal was made. Fortunately, Blake and Cindy Stearns, owners over the last 20 years, continue the near 75-year tradition of whipping up pastries and pies six days a week. The operation is expected to continue until a buyer is found.
Back to the parking wars.
Common “north-to-south”-style parking in the front parking lot (July 7, 2024). Photo credit: Jeff Shaw
As any patron knows, Marion’s Pie Shop is located on a busy stretch of Route 28 in West Chatham. Cars approaching from the West are often accelerating up a hill; and unless they are turning right down Ridgevale Road, have no reason to slow down in this mostly residential section.
Fortunately, traffic from the East (the side of the road of which Marion’s is located) tends to slow down thanks to regular right turns onto Sam Ryder Road to access the town transfer station.
A few things happening here (July 6, 2024). Note the street parking off the westbound lane as well as the “east-to-west”-style parking in the front parking lot. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw
Regardless, pulling out of – or backing up from- Marion’s front parking lot in the high summer season is dicey. To make matters worse, cars, trucks, trailers, etc., car regularly parked along both sides of the road blocking your side vision while narrowing the ability for oncoming traffic to pass.
A few things are happening here (August 18, 2024). First, the green coupe broke down. Second, cars are parked on the street heading eastbound. Third, while hard to see, cars pulling into the front parking lot began to double park behind the cars already there. Desperate times, call for desperate measures re: tasty pastry. Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.
But the real battle; the lack of lines in the front parking lot (crushed shell surface) means choosing your own adventure when it comes to parking ‘spaces.’
I’m not really sure what’s happening here (August 17, 2024). Cars parked in every and all directions. Mayhem at Marion’s, mayhem! Photo credit: Jeff Shaw.
I’ve often heard – and sometimes noticed – that people watching is entertaining. Well, so is car parking watching, but only, at Marion’s Pie Shop.
Author’s Note: Running, walking, biking or a similar forms of “foot powered transportation” is a great way to check out a new city or even see your home town from a new perspective. When I travel, almost every morning I get up earlier than I would at home, and go for a run. While fitness may be the initial motivation, “on foot” exploration allows me to get close to a waterfront, go the opposite direction down a one-way side street in a city, even stumble upon a hidden historical site, all of which may be interesting and even help determine activities later in the day. But it did not take work travel or an exotic trip to re-discover a hidden gem in plain sight in Chatham.
In this case, the hidden gem is not really hidden, it is Marion’s Pie Shop!
Ragnar Trail Vermont finisher medal. It’s a fork, spoon and bottle opener.
With a Ragnar Trail Vermont relay race just days away, I needed to squeeze in a long run to gauge strength and stamina to determine my confidence level before tackling Mt. Ascutney in central Vermont. Aiming for 6+ miles, I made up a haphazard loop from Ridgevale Beach, to Cockle Cove to the Old Colony Rail Trail west toward Harwich, followed by a u-turn back towards Chatham Municipal Airport. The final stretch would take me past Chatham’s Old Schoolhouse Ice Cream towards Sam Ryder Road.
Old Colony Trail in the morning.
As I emerged out of the tree covered trail, a sudden scent of cinnamon sugar hit my face; kind of like when the smell of someone grilling wafts through the air. I knew the sweet smell was not the nearby Chatham Transfer Station. In my hot, sweaty, tired mess, I realized that the smell was none other than Marion’s Pie Shop, but also that I had not visited the bakery in quite some time. Now, I’m the kind of person that tends to take signs in nature or odd coincidences as a hint to do something. In this case, the sweet air was a sign to pay homage to Marion’s Pie Shop. (Admittedly, this is not a big ask as it is down the road from the house and already has quite the reputation.) The smell of what could only be a cinnamon nut roll that helped me power through the final incline of the run got stronger as I approached the shop.
Marion’s is not just for breakfast.
If you are not familiar with the area, Marion’s Pie Shop is the only restaurant along a fairly long residential stretch of Route 28 in West Chatham. It was not always this way. The former Ridgevale Restaurant, with the beautifully polished white 1930s Rolls Royce parked in front, use to be next to Marion’s toward Ridgevale Road (townhouses are now there) and former Flemings Seafood Restaurant, was a little further down Route 28 closer to Cockle Cove Road (a conservation area/park is there now). There also use to be another motel across from Marion’s to complement the nearby Seafarer Inn. Fortunately, Chatham Pottery and an art gallery are the other commercial “anchor tenants” in the area of what I playfully call, the Ridgevale Road Business Association. The walkability of these businesses is a great benefit of living in the neighborhood.
The outdoor patio area is usually full.
Unfortunately, this run was a 6:30am start, so Marion’s Pie Shop was not yet open when I rolled up around 7:30am. As I stepped through the open door, a polite college-aged youngster, likely a seasonal employee said, “Sorry, we open at 8:00 a.m.” That was fine considering my sweaty state. After some small talk, what did surprise me was his answer when I asked him about what kind of coffee they had available. The muted response was, “just the Keurig,” Ugh! For this bakery with such a huge following, those sweet heavenly smells, comfy outdoor seating, charming broken seashell driveway, it’s hard to believe “just the Keurig” was the answer. Especially with all the local coffee roasters such as Beanstock (Wellfleet), the Art of Roasting (Chatham) fighting to get playing time in our morning routines. Indeed, the coffee culture is strong (coffee pun intended) on the Cape (albeit, a bit snobby), but like wine, “Life is too short to drink bad coffee!”
The picture does not do these jumbo muffins justice.
The first attempt to taste, not just smell, Marion’s sugary goodness, was a big fail. By the time I got back to the house, showered, figured out the plan of the day, I returned to learn they were out of almost every freshly baked breakfast item. And I didn’t feel like a spinach croissant. Fortunately, that was Saturday, and on Sunday, I arrived by 8:00am and grabbed a wild blueberry muffin (and for fun, the Chatham muffin, the latter being basically baked sugar in muffin form. I recommend splitting the Chatham muffin with at least one other person!) The wild blueberry muffin was delicious, still warm from the oven, perfect portion and did not need to be toasted or smothered with butter. It was an easy reminder why this neighborhood bakery has stood the test of time. And if you were wondering, the bakery was started (by Marion) in 1947, and the current owners, Cindy and Blake Stearns, continued her tradition since 2003.
While Marion’s breakfast selections are winners, my next visit will focus on their “side dishes,” i.e., potato salad, cole slaw, pasta salad and baked beans. If these side dishes are close to the level of the breakfast goodies, I’ll happily get in line at 8:00 a.m. on a Sunday; whether or not the smell of a cinnamon nut roll is in the air.
