‘Justice of the Pies’ Is Thriving In Avalon Park
‘Justice of the Pies’ Is Thriving In Avalon Park
By Tia Carol Jones
Maya-Camille Broussard started Justice of the Pies in 2015. While Broussard has an extensive history in the arts, everything she has done in her professional life as an artist has led to her being an entrepreneur in the culinary arts.
Broussard said as a Black woman, who is living marginalized in a greater society that tends to not celebrate people who look like her – a Black woman, living with a disability – what shaped the type of entrepreneur that she wanted to be was the women around her and their resilience and perseverance. Those women also gave her permission to be a late bloomer in her career and to start a new career and new projects.
Broussard feels that entrepreneurship is in her DNA. Her grandparents owned a tavern on 95th and Wentworth, which is the start of her family’s journey into hospitality. Broussard’s first foray into hospitality was with Three Peas Art Lounge, an art gallery with a full bar.
She was always baking and testing recipes, recreationally. A setback led her to close the art gallery. A trip to San Francisco sparked an idea that she should be doing something with food, that had a positive impact on people’s lives. She knew whatever she did had to be purposeful.
Broussard decided to name her venture Justice of the Pies, a nod to her father who called himself the Pie Master. She said what makes her business unique is her brand messaging, it is very authentic and approachable. She is sharing her story, which she believes resonates with people.
“When I am debuting a new dessert or a new savory item, I am sharing the story behind why I decided to put it on my menu and I think that resonates with a lot of people,” she said.
For the month of February, Broussard makes a Pina Colada cake. She said she makes it because February is her mother’s birthday month and her mother has core memories of a pineapple coconut cake that was made for her when she was five years old. She said people buy why you make what you make and when people learn the stories behind why she makes something, they want to support it.
As a perfectionist, Broussard wants whatever she makes to be the best that someone has ever had. All of her cookies are served warm because she loves the feeling of eating a cookie that feels like it has just come out of the oven. She said it is about the memories she creates when people purchase items from her.
Broussard said she became part of the Illinois Made Program through a connection she made with Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton. She was also part of a campaign where her bakery was featured on a tour. She said she has received a lot of support and visibility from being a part of the Illinois Made Program. She said that support has helped her not only survive, but thrive.
Justice of the Pies is located at 8655 S. Blackstone. For more information about Justice of the Pies, visit www.justiceofthepies.com. For more information about Enjoy Illinois, visit www.enjoyillinois.com/plan-your-trip/illinois-made.
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