Hubig's Pies

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Hubig's Pies
Hubig's Pies mascot "Savory Simon"
Restaurant information
Established1921
Owner(s)Ramsey Family
Food typeFruit Pies
CityNew Orleans
StateLA
CountryUnited States
Websitewww.hubigs.com

Hubig's Pies, also sometimes called Hubig's New Orleans Style Pies, are a brand of fruit and sweet-filled fried pies that are produced by the Simon Hubig Pie Company in New Orleans, Louisiana. The product was off the market from 2012 after a fire completely destroyed the factory, but the business was brought back in 2022.[1]

History[edit]

1922 New Orleans newspaper advertisement for "Hubig's Famous Honey-Fruit Pies".

Simon Hubig was born in Spain's Basque Country and immigrated to the United States after serving in World War I.[2][3] He founded the Simon Hubig Pie Company in Fort Worth, Texas in 1922, capitalizing on baking skills he learned at his mother's bakery.[4] In subsequent years, the company expanded to nine locations throughout the Southeastern United States and opened its New Orleans location in 1922.[5] During the Great Depression, all of the locations were forced to close except the New Orleans bakery, which remained profitable.[6] Throughout the life of the company, the New Orleans bakery stayed in the same Dauphine Street location in the Faubourg Marigny it was founded in.[4]

Operations[edit]

Old Hubig's Pies factory on Dauphine Street, 2008
Hubig's Pies at Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, 2009

The production process changed very little over time. Before Hurricane Katrina, in addition to the famous turnover-style pie, Hubig's also made individual and family-sized pies. Hubig's Pies frequently donated fresh products to charitable organizations in the area. The Orleans Parish jail was traditionally one of the largest buyers of pies. Until the end, the Hubig's bakery remained heavily reliant on laborers rather than automated processes.

Savory Simon[edit]

Savory Simon is the mascot of Hubig's Pies, and he was prominently featured on the packaging and some advertising for their pies.

Hurricane Katrina aftermath[edit]

When the city of New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the bakery's ventilation system, an exterior wall, and the roof were damaged. Production of Hubig's pies was halted and did not start again until more than four months later, January 4, 2006, after the neighborhood had clean water, reliable electricity, and sufficient gas pressure. Hubig's pies increased slightly in cost after the storm, and the variety of flavors offered changed. About 30,000 hand-sized pies were made a day to be delivered on the next day.[5]

Fire and failed re-opening efforts[edit]

On July 27, 2012, a fire broke out at the bakery. Flames were seen coming from the front of the building at about 4:30 a.m. The fire grew to five alarms, engulfing the factory. A little more than an hour after the first firefighters arrived, the facade of the building crumbled. No one was hurt, but the facility was a total loss. Co-owner Andrew Ramsey originally said he planned to rebuild and resume production as soon as possible,[7] and in 2013, the city approved plans by Hubig's to build a factory in a new location.[8] The efforts eventually stalled, however, before any construction work had started.[9] In 2014, Ramsey stated that he could not "give [...] even a tentative date" for a return of Hubig's,[10] because the company's owners were "not in concert about how to proceed". He added that while he himself would favor a re-opening, he had "no control over whether that happen[ed]."[11] As of summer 2015, there has been no construction work on a new factory,[9] the company's web site is unreachable,[12] and its official Facebook page has not been updated for more than two years.[13]

In April 2015, the New Orleans City Planning Commission approved plans to construct residential buildings on the site of the former Hubig's Pies factory.[14]

Long promised return[edit]

Lemon Hubig's Pie cut open, June 2023

On July 18, 2019, it was announced that production would resume in 2020 from a plant in Jefferson Parish.[15] The company was expected to resume production in 2020.[15]

In November 2022, the company announced it was hiring, suggesting that a return may be in the works. They officially returned later in the month.[16][17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ writer, IAN MCNULTY | Staff. "Hubig's Pies are back! Beloved New Orleans treat returns after decade of longing, craving". NOLA.com. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  2. ^ McMains, Frank. "Flaky Ephemera: Hubig's Pies". Country Roads. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  3. ^ Nossiter, Adam (10 January 2006). "And Hubig's Said, Let Them Eat Pie". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  4. ^ a b Van Syckle, Katie. "The Story of Hubig's Pies: Simon Survives". The Gambit. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  5. ^ a b Guas, David; Raquel Pelzel (2009). DamGood Sweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style. Newtown, Connecticut: Taunton Press. pp. 60–64. ISBN 978-1-60085-118-6.
  6. ^ "Blake Pontchartrain: New Orleans Know It All". The Gambit. 24 July 2007. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  7. ^ "Hubig's Pie factory burns; iconic building a 'total loss'". WDSU News. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  8. ^ Eggler, Bruce (20 June 2013). "Hubig's Pies' proposed move to Press Street site wins City Council approval". nola.com. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Still no Hubig's Pies three years after devastating fire". fox8live.com. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  10. ^ Price, Todd A. "Rebuilding of Hubig's Pies continues at a 'snail's pace'". www.nola.com. Retrieved 9 September 2014.
  11. ^ McNulty, Ian (30 November 2014). "Hubig Pie Co. manager on possible reopening: 'I have no good news to report'". The New Orleans Advocate. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  12. ^ "Hubig's Pies official website (defunct)". Archived from the original on 2006-10-04. Retrieved 2006-12-12.
  13. ^ "Hubig's Pies – The Official Page". facebook.com. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
  14. ^ Sayre, Katherine (16 April 2015). "Former Hubig's Pie site soon to be home to condos". nola.com. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Hubig's Pies are coming back!". WWL. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
  16. ^ "Hubig's Pies Careers". LED FastStart. Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  17. ^ "Hubig's Pies are back! Beloved New Orleans treat returns after decade of longing, craving | Where NOLA Eats | nola.com". www.nola.com. Retrieved 2022-11-06.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hubig's Pies, New Orleans.
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