Businesswoman, Restaurateur. She founded the "Marie Callender" restaurant chain with her husband and son. She was originally from South Dakota. In 1948, her children were grown. With their help, she sold her new car and used the money to spearhead a business venture to capitalize on her success of baking and selling pies from her Huntington Beach, California home. She and her son rented a small World War II army Quonset hut in Long Beach, California, purchased a baking oven, refrigerator and a few implements. They named the venture "Spion Kop Callender Pies." With her recipes and guidance, the family began baking pies to be sold to area restaurants. Two years later, from an initial order of ten pies, the family was making 200 a day. Fifteen years later, they opened an outlet in Orange, California named "Marie Callender Pie Shop." At first, only pies were served. Gradually it became a full-fledged restaurant. Other locations were added around Southern California. Their standard restaurants featured a fully stocked bar called a "saloon" and a complete soup-salad bar. The interiors of the new chain of restaurants were decorated with antiques. The décor was reminiscent of Victorian England and early America. After retiring, Marie lived in Laguna Hills. The family sold the chain in 1994. A line of frozen foods is still found in grocery stores across the USA.
Businesswoman, Restaurateur. She founded the "Marie Callender" restaurant chain with her husband and son. She was originally from South Dakota. In 1948, her children were grown. With their help, she sold her new car and used the money to spearhead a business venture to capitalize on her success of baking and selling pies from her Huntington Beach, California home. She and her son rented a small World War II army Quonset hut in Long Beach, California, purchased a baking oven, refrigerator and a few implements. They named the venture "Spion Kop Callender Pies." With her recipes and guidance, the family began baking pies to be sold to area restaurants. Two years later, from an initial order of ten pies, the family was making 200 a day. Fifteen years later, they opened an outlet in Orange, California named "Marie Callender Pie Shop." At first, only pies were served. Gradually it became a full-fledged restaurant. Other locations were added around Southern California. Their standard restaurants featured a fully stocked bar called a "saloon" and a complete soup-salad bar. The interiors of the new chain of restaurants were decorated with antiques. The décor was reminiscent of Victorian England and early America. After retiring, Marie lived in Laguna Hills. The family sold the chain in 1994. A line of frozen foods is still found in grocery stores across the USA.
Bio by: Donald Greyfield
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