Utah pie maker connects with customers via hand deliveries ahead of Thanksgiving

SALT LAKE CITY — The day before Thanksgiving was far from a day off for many bakers and restaurants across the Wasatch Front.

While some were preparing to entertain guests for the holiday, others were scrambling to fill orders for rolls and pies.

On Wednesday, small business owner James Edwards — founder of James Gourmet – was literally going the extra mile making hand deliveries to customers from Salt Lake County to Weber County.

“My plan was to have them all done yesterday, but as you know it was snowing and raining,” Edwards told KSL TV.

Edwards said he had roughly 25 deliveries to complete with many at least ten minutes apart.

He acknowledged he shipped to extreme ends of Northern Utah, but continued to get in as many in-person deliveries as possible in the name of customer savings as well as human connection.

“I get hugs from people,” Edwards said. “I get big old smiles. They’re so happy to see me. They say, ‘You saved Thanksgiving.’”

Edwards got the idea in 2017 to make sweet potato pies while serving in the military, and by 2018 he was selling out his pies at local farmers markets.

He has since added buttermilk pie and banana pudding pie to his offerings as he has opened up shipping to customers nationwide.

While he said most of the money he has made to date he has put back into his business, he also said it was all worth it for the interactions and friendships with his customers — especially at a time like Thanksgiving.

“I get to see everybody—that’s the number one thing,” Edwards said. “That’s what makes it worth it to me is definitely the people.”