Lauretta Jean's

Lauretta Jean's is an independent bakery and pie shop in Portland, Oregon, founded by baker and owner Kate McMillen. The business began as a stall at the Portland Farmers Market and took its name from McMillen's grandmother, Lauretta Jean. Its first permanent location opened in 2011 in a small space on Southwest Pine Street in downtown Portland's Transit Mall, where the operation initially emphasized takeaway service and shared premises with Cafe Velo. In 2012, McMillen opened a second location on Division Street in the Richmond neighborhood of southeast Portland. That shop became the brand's principal identity and offered a broader menu, indoor seating, and a more developed café experience. The Richmond shop combines a bakery counter with breakfast and lunch service. Its menu has included whole pies and slices, brownies, cookies, scones, biscuits with jam and butter, yogurt, breakfast sandwiches, quiches, salads, soups, and savory pies. Biscuit sandwiches have used ingredients such as pulled pork, egg, Brussels sprouts, and apple barbecue sauce, while quiches have included combinations featuring eggs, chorizo, and red pepper. The bakery's sweet-pie range has varied by season and occasion, with examples including banana cream, pumpkin, coconut cream, chocolate cream, heirloom apple, bourbon-pecan, honey hazelnut, marionberry, key lime, salty grapefruit, blackberry and raspberry streusel, and sweet potato marshmallow meringue. Coffee, wine, beer, and other alcoholic drinks have also been available. Lauretta Jean's has built its reputation around traditional American pie interpreted through a neighborhood bakery and café format. Its products are generally positioned as handmade, seasonal, generous, and suitable both for everyday visits and special occasions. The business has maintained a strong local following while receiving broader recognition from food publications. It appeared on Thrillist's 2021 list of the 25 best pie shops in the United States and has repeatedly been recognized by Portland publications and readers' polls. The Daily Meal selected it to represent Oregon in a 2024 survey of notable chicken pot pies, and Tasting Table selected it to represent Oregon in a 2026 state-by-state pie overview. Community events and limited-time promotions are an important part of the brand's operating pattern. Lauretta Jean's has marked Pi Day with special flavors, pie-and-drink pairings, live music, bracket-style competitions, extended hours, and mystery boxes containing assorted slices. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Richmond location created separate pickup and takeaway windows to support safer service. The bakery has also participated in Feast Portland in 2018 and 2019 and has been associated with a Pi Day run in nearby Ladd's Addition that often ends at the shop. In 2026, the bakery reportedly prepared about 1,000 pies for the Pi Day weekend, approximately twice its usual weekend volume. The business remains locally rooted rather than a national chain. Its visibility comes from product quality, Portland food culture, recurring seasonal events, and favorable editorial and customer attention. The available reference material does not establish a formal corporate parent, public listing, nationwide distribution network, or a separate packaged-goods division.

Lauretta Jean's originated as a farmers-market stall operated by Portland baker Kate McMillen. The brand was named for McMillen's grandmother, giving the business a personal identity rather than a geographic or product-descriptive name. Its early format was a market stand focused on baked goods and pies, allowing McMillen to establish a customer base before taking on a permanent storefront. In 2011, Lauretta Jean's moved into a small brick-and-mortar space on Southwest Pine Street in downtown Portland's Transit Mall. The shop initially operated primarily as a takeaway business and shared its space with Cafe Velo. This first permanent location gave the bakery a fixed urban presence, but the brand's longer-term home emerged the following year when McMillen opened a second shop on Division Street in southeast Portland's Richmond neighborhood. The Richmond site occupied space previously associated with Pix Pâtisserie and introduced a more expansive format with indoor seating and a larger breakfast and lunch menu. The Richmond location developed into a neighborhood bakery and café known for a relaxed but carefully designed interior and a broad selection of sweet and savory foods. Pies could be purchased whole or by the slice, while the menu also included brownies, cookies, breakfast pastries, biscuits, quiches, soups, salads, sandwiches, coffee, and alcoholic drinks. The pie selection changed over time and included cream, fruit, nut, citrus, and seasonal varieties. Salted honey pie and cream pies became particularly associated with the bakery's reputation, while savory offerings such as chicken pot pie helped extend the business beyond dessert. Lauretta Jean's has used recurring events to connect its product range with Portland's food culture. Pi Day has been the most visible recurring occasion. Past celebrations have included live music, pie-and-alcohol pairings, a March-Madness-style pie bracket, special beverages, limited flavors, extended hours, and mystery boxes of assorted slices. A salty grapefruit alcoholic drink debuted in 2022. The bakery also participated in Feast Portland in 2018 and 2019. Since around 2019, a 3.14-mile Pi Day run in Ladd's Addition has often concluded at the shop, reinforcing its relationship with the surrounding neighborhood. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the business adjusted its service model by creating distinct pickup and takeaway windows at the Richmond shop. The change reflected the practical needs of a small food-service business while preserving access to its core bakery products. Later Pi Day promotions continued to increase in scale. In 2023, the shop introduced mystery boxes and expanded its hours; in 2024, the mystery boxes returned; in 2025, specials were extended through the weekend for the first time. In 2026, the bakery promoted eight special flavors and produced roughly 1,000 pies over the holiday weekend. Editorial recognition has been consistent. Portland Monthly, Willamette Week, The Oregonian, Eater Portland, Thrillist, The Daily Meal, and other publications have highlighted the bakery's pies, biscuits, brunch menu, or neighborhood presence. It has appeared in local readers' polls and national or national-facing food guides, including Thrillist's 2021 list of leading U.S. pie shops. The Daily Meal's 2024 selection of Lauretta Jean's as Oregon's representative for chicken pot pie and Tasting Table's 2026 Oregon selection further broadened its profile. Despite this attention, the available sources describe Lauretta Jean's as an independent Portland operation rather than a large chain or packaged-food manufacturer.

1. 2026Expanded Pi Day production

   The bakery offered eight special flavors and made approximately 1,000 pies over the Pi Day weekend.

   Source
2. 2024Oregon chicken pot pie selection

   The Daily Meal selected Lauretta Jean's to represent Oregon in its nationwide chicken pot pie overview.

   Source
3. 2023Mystery-box Pi Day promotion

   The bakery offered special flavors, extended hours, and boxes containing three surprise pie slices.

   Source
4. 2022Salty grapefruit drink debuts

   A salty grapefruit alcoholic beverage was introduced as part of the bakery's seasonal and Pi Day-oriented programming.

   Source
5. 2021National pie-shop recognition

   Thrillist included Lauretta Jean's in its list of the 25 best pie shops in the United States.

   Source
6. 2018Feast Portland participation

   Lauretta Jean's appeared as a vendor at Feast Portland, also participating again in 2019.

   Source
7. 2013Pi Day programming begins to gain visibility

   The bakery hosted a holiday event featuring live music and pairings of pie with alcoholic drinks.

   Source
8. 2012Richmond location opens

   A second shop opened on Division Street in southeast Portland, adding seating and a broader café menu.

   Source
9. 2011First permanent shop opens downtown

   The bakery moved into a small storefront on Southwest Pine Street in Portland's downtown Transit Mall.

   Source
10. Farmers-market beginnings

    Kate McMillen began Lauretta Jean's as a stall at the Portland Farmers Market and named the business after her grandmother.

    Source

An independent, Portland-centered bakery and café specializing in handmade American pies, seasonal baked goods, biscuits, and casual breakfast or lunch service.

• Sweet piesBakery

  Lauretta Jean's core offering consists of handmade pies sold whole or by the slice. The range has included fruit, cream, nut, citrus, and seasonal combinations such as heirloom apple, bourbon-pecan, marionberry, key lime, banana cream, pumpkin, coconut cream, chocolate cream, and sweet potato marshmallow meringue.

• Salted honey pieSignature pie

  Salted honey pie is one of the offerings most closely associated with the bakery's public reputation. It exemplifies the brand's approach of presenting familiar American pie in a refined but approachable format and has been singled out by food writers as a reason customers seek out the shop.

• Savory piesBakery and lunch

  The savory menu has included chicken pot pie and other pies featuring ingredients such as ham, cheese, caramelized onion, and blue cheese. These products extend the shop's identity from a dessert specialist into a bakery capable of serving lunch and prepared comfort food.

• Biscuits and biscuit sandwichesBreakfast

  Biscuits are a significant part of the breakfast offering and have been served with jam and butter or as sandwiches. Reported fillings have included eggs, pulled pork, Brussels sprouts, and apple barbecue sauce. The biscuit board has received recognition in Portland food coverage.

• Breakfast pastries and sweetsBakery

  Additional bakery products have included apricot-almond scones, brownies, cookies, and other seasonal pastries. These items support daily breakfast and counter-service visits alongside the more occasion-oriented whole pies.

• Café and lunch menuCafé food

  The Richmond shop has offered a broader café menu including quiches, salads, soups, breakfast sandwiches, yogurt, and beverages. Coffee drinks and alcoholic options complement the bakery products and support brunch, lunch, and special-event traffic.

• 2026Eight-flavor Pi Day weekend

  Portland, Oregon

  For the first time, the bakery offered Pi Day specials through the weekend, featuring eight special flavors.

  Outcome. Approximately 1,000 pies were produced over the weekend, roughly twice the volume of a typical weekend.

  Source
• 2023Pi Day mystery boxes

  Portland, Oregon

  The bakery promoted special flavors, extended hours, and mystery boxes containing slices from three surprise varieties.

  Outcome. The mystery-box format returned in 2024 and became part of the bakery's recurring Pi Day toolkit.

  Source
• 2018Feast Portland vendor appearance

  Portland, Oregon

  Lauretta Jean's participated as a vendor at Feast Portland, a citywide food festival, and returned in 2019.

  Outcome. The appearances connected the independent bakery with Portland's broader culinary event ecosystem.

  Source
• 2014March Madness pie bracket

  Portland, Oregon

  The bakery used a tournament-style pie bracket alongside food and drink specials to build interest around Pi Day.

  Outcome. The promotion gave customers an interactive way to engage with the rotating pie selection.

  Source
• 2013Pi Day pie-and-booze celebration

  Portland, Oregon

  Lauretta Jean's marked Pi Day with live music and pairings of pies and alcoholic drinks.

  Outcome. The event established Pi Day as a recurring promotional and community occasion for the bakery.

  Source

• 2023Introduce Pi Day mystery boxesProduct launch

  The bakery sought to expand its recurring Pi Day program beyond individual slices and standard special flavors.

  What changed. It offered boxes containing three surprise pie slices, alongside special flavors and extended hours.

  Aftermath. The mystery-box promotion was repeated in 2024.

  Source
• 2012Expand into a neighborhood café formatStrategy

  The initial downtown location was small and focused primarily on takeaway service.

  What changed. McMillen opened a larger Division Street shop in southeast Portland with seating and an expanded breakfast and lunch menu.

  Aftermath. The Richmond location became the business's principal neighborhood identity and broadened its service occasions beyond pie purchases.

  Source
• 2011Move from farmers-market stall to permanent shopStrategy

  After beginning at the Portland Farmers Market, Kate McMillen established a fixed downtown location.

  What changed. Lauretta Jean's opened a small takeaway-oriented brick-and-mortar shop on Southwest Pine Street.

  Aftermath. The move gave the bakery a permanent presence before it expanded into the Richmond neighborhood the following year.

  Source
• Create separated pickup and takeaway windowsStrategy

  The COVID-19 pandemic changed operating requirements for the Richmond shop.

  What changed. The bakery established distinct pickup and takeaway windows.

  Aftermath. The adaptation allowed the business to continue serving customers while reducing congestion around the shop.

  Source

• 2026Lauretta Jean's reports its largest Pi Day weekend production

  For its Pi Day weekend, the bakery offered eight special flavors and produced approximately 1,000 pies, about twice its normal weekend volume.

  CampaignProduct generation
  Source
• 2024Lauretta Jean's represents Oregon in a chicken pot pie survey

  The Daily Meal selected the bakery to represent Oregon in an overview of notable chicken pot pies from every U.S. state.

  Other
  Source
• 2023Lauretta Jean's expands Pi Day programming

  The bakery offered special flavors, longer opening hours, and mystery boxes containing slices from three undisclosed pie varieties.

  CampaignProduct launch
  Source
• 2021Thrillist names Lauretta Jean's among America's best pie shops

  The bakery was included in Thrillist's selection of the 25 best pie shops in the United States.

  Other
  Source
• 2018Lauretta Jean's appears at Feast Portland

  The bakery participated as a vendor at Feast Portland, a prominent local food festival.

  Campaign
  Source
• 2012Lauretta Jean's opens its Richmond neighborhood location

  A second shop opened on Division Street in southeast Portland, adding indoor seating and an expanded food menu.

  Other
  Source
• 2011Lauretta Jean's opens a permanent downtown Portland shop

  Founder Kate McMillen moved the farmers-market bakery into a small brick-and-mortar location on Southwest Pine Street in the downtown Transit Mall.

  Other
  Source
• Lauretta Jean's adapts takeaway service during the pandemic

  The Richmond shop introduced separate pickup and takeaway windows during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  Other
  Source

1. Lauretta Jean's
2. Official website