A visit to a neighborhood bakery should feel welcoming from the moment you walk through the door. At Upper Crust in downtown Overland Park, that feeling is part of the experience. Since 2005, the locally owned bakery has been making pies and cookies from scratch, building a loyal following with recipes, traditions and hospitality that make customers feel right at home.
“Our mission is to make pie as good as grandma’s, maybe better!” the owners say. “Many customers comment on how our shop reminds them of being at Grandma’s house, and that’s exactly what we want.”
For Kellie Kiser and Lisa Suderman, that sense of home is personal. Kiser had been working in Upper Crust’s kitchen since 2016 and had long hoped to one day own the bakery. Suderman joined the team in 2019 as a part-time employee while working in the corporate world. When she decided to leave her corporate position in 2023, Kiser reached out. The two eventually took over the bakery in 2024.
“I had interest in purchasing the shop ever since I started working there,” Kiser says. “It always felt like this is where I was meant to be and a bit like home for me.”
When the pair took over, they knew they had something special to preserve. Original owners Jan and Elaine had built a loyal following and strong connection with the community. Kiser and Suderman wanted to maintain the familiar recipes and traditions customers had come to love while also putting their own stamp on the bakery.
They have since introduced new favorites, including monster cookies and pumpkin whoopie pies, while continuing to make the classic pies that have kept customers coming back for years.
“We don’t compromise on ingredients, we bake with heart, and we genuinely love what we do,” they say. “Consistency and quality are of utmost importance to us, both in the product we serve and the experience people have.”
That commitment becomes especially meaningful during the holidays. Thanksgiving brings a condensed menu of traditional favorites, including apple, pecan, cherry and pumpkin pies. Salted caramel pecan bars and pumpkin whoopie pies offer additional ways to bring familiar fall flavors to the dessert table.
While the finished pies may look simple, there is considerable work behind each one. Everything at Upper Crust is made from scratch, from mixing pie dough and peeling apples to juicing citrus and toasting pecans. Some recipes take multiple days to prepare.
“We always say making pie is a labor of love,” the owners say. “It takes a lot of hard, physical labor to get pies out each week, and our team does such a stellar job of working hard to get this done.”
That work intensifies as Thanksgiving approaches. The team prepares as much as possible ahead of time, but in a small kitchen, holiday baking requires some creativity.
“Space! We max out our freezer and fridge space and get VERY creative during our big holiday bakes,” they say with a laugh. “If you’ve been into the shop, you know it’s not a huge space, so we’re usually bursting at the seams during the holidays.”
The payoff comes when Upper Crust pies become part of customers’ celebrations. Over the years, the bakery has become part of birthdays, anniversaries, holiday gatherings and family traditions.
“It’s such an honor to be on someone’s dessert table during the holidays,” the owners say. “We don’t take it lightly that we quite literally have a seat at your table.”
That connection is one of the things Kiser and Suderman value most about owning a neighborhood bakery. They see familiar faces return throughout the year, watch families grow and hear stories about how Upper Crust has become part of important moments.
“I am truly living out a dream of business ownership while doing something that I love, baking for other people,” Kiser says. “Feeding people is the ultimate form of love for me, so this is the honor of a lifetime.”
Suderman feels much the same. “I absolutely love being a part of this community,” she says. “Getting to know the folks who walk in the door isn’t something I take lightly. It’s an honor to be a part of this and to see the joy on customer’s faces when they leave.”
For both owners, hospitality is at the heart of the business. Their Midwest upbringing taught them the importance of making people feel welcome, and their experience at Upper Crust has reinforced something they already believed: food has a way of bringing people together.
“We can all come together over a slice of pie,” they say. “We hope you can feel that commonality when you walk into the shop.”
As Upper Crust looks ahead, Kiser and Suderman plan to continue doing what they do best while expanding their hours and exploring new partnerships. At the heart of the bakery, however, the mission remains simple: make great pie, treat people well and remain part of the community.
For those planning a Thanksgiving celebration, timing is important. Upper Crust launches its Thanksgiving pre-order menu November 1, and orders typically sell out quickly. A limited number of extras may be available for pickup the day before Thanksgiving on a first-come, first-served basis. Pumpkin and pecan pies also freeze well, offering another option for those who like to plan ahead.
“Supporting small businesses in your community has never been more important, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your patronage,” they say. “We get to keep the momentum going because of you all.”
In a community where traditions are often built around the table, Upper Crust continues to offer something simple and meaningful: a place to gather, celebrate and share a slice of something made with care.
It always felt like this is where I was meant to be and a bit like home for me.”