Meet Judy Balunda | Owner/Director of Pie Operations

We had the good fortune of connecting with Judy Balunda and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Judy, what do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to two simple principles; having the very best products , and superb customer service. I grew up in retail, and my parents were excellent role models. I learned over the years that the customer is always right. If you can believe this philosophy in your heart, the practice will pay off in volume. I do tell my employees that if anyone is going to get upset with a “guest”, it can only be me. In my eight years, I have probably only had a handful of customers upset. I did have a woman throw a cinnamon roll across room!!!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
JudyPie stands out for two key reasons: it offers the best pie and cake with superior customer service. Located on Main Street in Grapevine, the shop serves people from around the world, providing not just pies but a memorable experience. Transitioning from teaching to managing a pie shop came with a learning curve, as the responsibilities expanded beyond just personal effort to relying on a team and vendors.

A major achievement for JudyPie was being ranked #5 in the U.S. by USAToday, which the owner considers her greatest success. She credits this accomplishment to the support of family, friends, and her dedicated team, especially bakers Judith and Tania. Beyond business success, JudyPie gives back by supporting mental health awareness, delivering treat bags and pies to a local Community Center monthly, as a way of contributing to the community that has supported her journey.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Assuming I can take some time off work for my friends coming into town, our first stop will be JudyPie. They have never been to the pie shop. We will eat pie, and they will love it. My guests have a little jet lag, so we are staying in Grapevine for the evening. So many places to go, so many choices to eat. I decide Meow Wolf will be one of our first stops, tomorrow. When Meow Wolf, opened they served our Chicken Pot Pie their first year.

The next morning up and adam to IHOP! Where else would you get pancakes? Our day is full, shlep to Dallas, as all guests have to visit where Kennedy was shot, and after that, we go to Bishop Arts for a tour and maybe stop at another pie shop!!!! I do that a lot, heheheheh! We spend most of the afternoon walking around shopping and eating. Alas, it is time to come home to get ready for our night out to Billy Bobs. Meow Wolf will have to wait.

I have amazing plans lined up for my friends today.! Starting off in Grapevine with JudyPie is a perfect way to introduce them to a classic Texan experience. Who doesn’t love pie, especially when they’re still jet-lagged and in need of comfort food?

Meow Wolf will definitely be a unique and immersive experience for my friends. The fact that they served our Chicken Pot Pie in their cafe, during their first year, makes it even more special! It’s a great mix of art and fun, perfect for getting them out of that travel daze.

Then, of course, the next day, IHOP in the morning for pancakes is a classic move. There’s something about starting the day with fluffy pancakes and syrup that makes everything better, especially before a full day of exploring. Heading into Dallas to visit Dealey Plaza and the JFK assassination site is essential for any tourist—it’s such a historical landmark, and I’m sure my friends will find it fascinating.

Venturing further South, Bishop Arts is such a great area for a casual afternoon. The combination of quirky shops, local boutiques, and great food options makes it a perfect stop. And hey, there’s no such thing as too much pie, so stopping at another pie shop makes total sense! I have a running theme going here!

Finally, ending the day with a night out at Billy Bob’s Texas is pure genius. It’s the perfect way to wrap up the evening with live country music, dancing, and maybe even some line dancing or bull riding. My friends will get the full Texas experience from start to finish!

Now for a full day of shopping. Northpark, and then back to Grapevine Mainstreet, where my friends travel out on their own and explore the many shops and Wineries. I don’t have the luxury of joining my friends. I have to work!!! I’m not sure I like to call it work, because it is so much fun visiting with all the guest who come to JudyPie. I am always taken back when a guest says, “I am from New York, and my friend told me about your shop, and that I have to go there”. That is my happy time.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My story is weaves together my past, family, and the love for what you’ve created today. My aunt, my children, and even my “x” husband shows my deep roots of family, tradition, and love that have brought me to where I am now.

My father, Lou, working for 30 years in retail before starting his own business, set such a strong example of resilience, hard work, and entrepreneurship. I can only imagine how proud he and my mother, Rhoda, would be to see what I’ve built today, knowing that they inspired so much of who I am, and what I’ve achieved. They clearly passed down the importance of doing things with care and excellence, whether it was Lou’s charity work or Rhoda’s dedication to helping Lou in their business—even until his final days.

The lessons I learned as a young girl, gift-wrapping for my father’s business, instilled in me a sense of perfection and attention to detail that must carry through in my work today. That kind of care—making sure the tape didn’t show, folding the paper just right—those small touches truly do stay with people. It’s evident that this “perfect” approach has translated to my pie-making, and it’s probably why my pies are not only delicious but a cherished experience for my customers.

My Aunt Sylvia, my “other mother,” also left a lasting impression. The image of both picking pecans in my Aunt’s backyard, shelling them on Sunday, and baking Rhoda’s pecan pies is such a heartwarming memory. It’s not surprising that i found baking in my blood after those experiences—those traditions clearly laid the foundation for what would become my passion. I imagine every time I bake a pecan pie, I am reminded of those Saturdays and Sundays, carrying forward a piece of my family in every bite.

The fact that I had a stationery shop before the pie shop is another testament to my entrepreneurial spirit. Even though I chose to close it to focus on motherhood, it’s clear that running a business was always in my heart. The balancing act between running a shop and raising a family isn’t easy, and closing that chapter showed the strength and wisdom to prioritize what was most important at that time. When the timing was right, I found my way back to my passion, and did so with the full support of my family.

Teaching, too, was such a huge part of my journey, and i dedicated so many years to it, helping students in need. That speaks volumes about my passion and care for others. But as life often does, it led me back to baking, with my daughter, Adohree, inspiring me to pursue baking as more than just a hobby. It’s almost poetic that my children each played a role—Adohree with her love for baking, and Samuel enjoying the treats I made, proudly sharing them with others. They are undoubtedly proud of the example I’ve set for them, showing how you can follow your passions and build something meaningful, even after years of dedicating yourself to another profession.

Even my “X” husband, David, recognized my talent and suggested I open a bakery, helped move me in the direction I was meant to go. It’s heart warming to see how family, in all its facets, contribute to my journey,

The pie shop, my second major endeavor after teaching and raising children, isn’t just a business—it’s a culmination of love, family, tradition, and hard work. My parents and Aunt laid the foundation, showing me what it means to work with care and dedication, and I’ve passed that on to my own children. Now, through my pies and my shop, I am creating their legacy while creating my own.

It’s wonderful to see how everything has come full circle—from helping my father with his business to creating something of my own, with the encouragement of my loved ones. I’m certain that both my mother, Rhoda, and my father, Lou, would be incredibly proud of what I’ve accomplished. The fact that I dedicate my success to them, as well as to my children and David, reflects the depth of love and gratitude I have for those who have shaped my life.

My story is a testament to the power of family, the influence of tradition, and the importance of pursuing your passions. It’s also a reminder that the journey to success is rarely linear—it’s filled with twists, turns, and sometimes detours. But when you’re driven by love and passion, the result is something magical.

I have no doubt that my parents are looking down with immense pride, knowing that their values and teachings live on through and my beautiful pie shop. While they may not be physically here, their presence is undoubtedly felt in every pie I bake and every small detail .

My children and may parents are definitely responsible for my success.

I wish that my parents were here to see what I have created. My Father, Lou, worked for a large retail company for 30 years, before he retired to start his own business. I taught school for 28 years before I retired to start my own business. Growing up in a small town, everyone knows your name, and everybody knew my Dad. He served his community as a 33rd degree Mason, and did a lot of charity work. Prior to him opening his own business, during the Christmas season, I would work at his business as the gift wrapper, wrapping all the gifts that people purchased. I was taught to make the package “perfect”! Make sure the tape doesn’t show, make sure the paper is folded correctly, make sure the package was wrapped for a man or a woman, just so it was the best I could possibly do. No exception there. I learned it’s the little things that people remember you by. When my Father went into this business for himself, my Mother, Rhoda, worked with him every day at his office. They had the business until my Father became too ill with cancer to work. They were in their late 70’s. My Aunt, Sylvia, who I called my other Mother, she too worked until she could no longer work, in her late 70’s. These three people made me who I am. They always told me that one day, I would have my own successful business. Everyone in the community knew my family, and they were very well respected. I knew that one day, I too would have my own successful business.

I have such fond memories of picking pecans in my Aunt’s backyard. We would pick pecans all day Saturday, shell them on Sunday and make Rhoda’s delicious pecan pies in the afternoon. That was when, I knew, baking was in my blood. Such sweet memories.

Website: https://www.JudyPie.com

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Twitter: JudyBalunda@JudyBalund60018

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