Sixteen years after Mike and Debra Loggins opened Pie Town Cafe & Desserts in Shenandoah’s Portofino Shopping Center, the couple celebrated the reopening of the family-owned shop's new location on David Memorial Drive on Nov. 2. With the help of their three children, the Logginses opened Pie Town Cafe & Desserts in 2001 as strictly a dessert shop with a selection of only eight pie flavors. “When I was growing up, my grandfather and my dad used to take me to Flying Saucer [on] Crosstimbers [Road in Houston] all the time,” Debra Loggins said. “So when my husband and I saw the Portofino Shopping Center being built, we thought a nostalgic, mom and pop-type soda and dessert shop would be a great addition.” Today, the eatery offers 35 pie flavors year-round, 50 pie flavors during the holidays and has expanded its repertoire to include a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches and fresh-baked breads. Now grown, Loggins’ daughter and niece also serve as the cafe’s managers. “I don’t bake; I taste,” Loggins said. “Our baker, Carlos Reyes, has been baking for 36 years now, and he’s been with us since the beginning. When you use things like only real butter and whole milk, you usually get a really good product. So we only use quality ingredients.” The cafe’s pie selection includes cream, fruit, sugar-free, gluten-free and seasonal pies, in addition to take-and-bake options. Pies can be purchased by the slice, as a personal-size pie, in a personal trio pack or as a full-size 10-inch, extra deep pie, Loggins said. The Logginses said they were forced to relocate their original storefront after the lease expired and a big-box store expanded into their suite. “We had contemplated expanding our location for a long time, so this was kind of the kick in the pants that we needed to do that. So I don’t look at it as a bad thing,” she said. “But we did only have a 60-day notice, so that wasn’t a ton of time to get our new location or to get permits and construction started.” The Logginses closed their original 1,200-square-foot location in July with the hope of reopening in September. However, Loggins said Hurricane Harvey interrupted that timeline by halting construction for two weeks and driving up the cost due to competition from high-demand renovation work. The new 3,100-square-foot location features the bakery, dining room and an expanded retail section where patrons can purchase dessert-inspired gift items. The new storefront has also doubled its selection of Blue Bell Ice Cream to include 16 flavors and offers fudges as well as full- and personal-sized cakes. Loggins said the most popular items year-round include the cafe’s chicken salad, the chocolate cream pie and the coconut cream pie. During the holidays, Loggins said the pumpkin and pecan pies are the shop’s best-sellers. The cafe also offers catering and delivery services and fundraising opportunities. Patrons can place orders in advance by phone, email or fax. Loggins said in the future, she plans to also offer online ordering and shipping options. “My son and two daughters grew up at Pie Town,” Loggins said. “It’s just always been a fun place to work and to own. We’re not fast food; we’re in the business to make people happy and let them come in, sit down and just take a break from the fast-paced world out there and enjoy themselves.”