Kathy’s Pies in Cedar Rapids handles Thanksgiving rush with planning, ‘ringers’

CEDAR RAPIDS - As co-owner of Kathy's Pies, Terri Weyland-Henecke has been baking for years.

But in 1996, when she joined her sister, Kathy McCauley, and her aunt, Beth Swyers, at Kathy's Pies - the business was founded in 1986 by her father - Weyland-Henecke knew very little about baking.

In fact, when asked if she enjoyed baking before then, Weyland-Henecke just laughed.

'No,” she said. 'Kathy had some baking experience. I had none.”

However, over the years not only has the 55-year-old become a proficient baker, but she might even say she now enjoys it.

That skill and experience were put to the test last week as the bakery, at 616 Fifth Ave. SE., entered its busiest season.

When the bakery started, 20 pies a day was pretty good business.

Nowadays, around 100 pies a day is the standard - or about 3,500 pies a month, on average.

On Thanksgiving week, though, Weyland-Henecke, McCauley and the rest of the staff make more than 6,000 pies.

But even with all the extra staffing brought in for the week - about 15 during the day and another eight at night - the bakery cannot feed everyone.

'We know how many pies we can make in one day, and once we reach that goal, we can't do anymore,” Weyland-Henecke said. 'We tried to go over what we thought we could do, and it about killed us. I know it disappoints a lot of people, but we're only human.”

While turning away customers happens this time of year, Weyland-Henecke said that never gets easy.

'It's difficult to say that over and over again,” she said. 'It kind of deflates you after awhile.”

Weyland-Henecke said the volume of pies baked last week requires considerable preparatory work and planning - and a little adrenaline.

'It's a completely different kind of energy,” she said. 'You do feel a little bit invincible.”

Surrounding yourself by a hardworking and experienced staff, she said, is key to surviving the rush.

'We have what we call our ringers - people who have worked for several holidays,” she said. 'They know what they're doing, they get it done for us. Sometimes they amaze me to no end. They never miss a beat.”

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