by Heather Bennett Eye
If you’re looking for the perfect place to beat the heat or get an after-beach treat, Beach Happy Cafe in WaterColor is the place to go. Owned by Chris and Shannon Kramolis in partnership with The 30A Company, Beach Happy Cafe is a casual dining and retail spot serving exceptional food and coffee with a laid-back beach vibe. They offer locally sourced ice cream, wraps, sandwiches, coffee and boba tea along with 30A and Beach Happy apparel.
Chris and Shannon first came to the area in 1998 when they visited Seaside. They continued visiting after they started their family in 2002, and would visit 30A every year in October with two other families. By 2010, Chris asked, “How can we come here and never leave?”
Chris, who developed 33 Tropical Smoothie Cafes in Arkansas and Oklahoma, had the answer. In 2013, Chris and Shannon, along with their daughter Alex and son Ben, moved from Little Rock, Arkansas to WaterColor. Chris took what he learned, and turned it into a way to put down roots along 30A by building the Beach Happy Cafe concept. He saw a need in our area for a place to grab a bite that is quick and light, and also partnered with Dan Bailey at Amavida coffee to provide their award-winning product. Beach Happy Cafe is also the only place that serves Amanda Wilbanks’ pies from her Southern Baked Pie Company.
Southern Baked Pie Company began with Amanda making pies for her neighbors. She grew up baking with her mother and grandmother, but her mother-in-law taught her how to make the buttery, flaky French Pate Brisee crust she uses for her sweet and savory pies. Being from Georgia, Amanda knows how much sharing food with others means to a community.
Amanda met Shannon Kramolis five years ago at Shannon’s yoga class at Studio Thirty A.
Shannon approached Amanda about offering her pies at Beach Happy Cafe. “We partnered together and now Beach Happy Cafe is carrying all the sweet pies: the pecan pie, chocolate chess pie, French coconut custard, and the key lime pie,” stated Amanda. “I know Florida has great key lime pie, but ours is to die for.” Amanda suggests stopping by for a slice of pie with a scoop of ice cream. “If you’re going to eat something, don’t waste your calories on something that doesn’t truly taste delicious.”
For Amanda and the Kramolises, it’s a friendship-based partnership. “Our relationship started from a love of food, and turned into a five year friendship and now a partnership,” said Amanda. “They are the most gracious. For me not to be local, they are so inviting, and just the epitome of what you would want good neighbors to be. So when I think about the Beach Happy Cafe, it makes me happy.”
In addition to Amanda’s sweet pies, Southern Baked Pie Company also offers online orders of savory pies, such as chicken pot pie, post-roast pie, vegetable pot pie, chicken ranchero pie, and southwestern taco pie. “They’re great because you can keep them in your freezer and then when you get ready to make dinner, you don’t have to thaw it. It takes an hour and 20 minutes, and you’ve got this nice, delicious, homemade pie,” sad Amanda. “It’s nutritious, filling, healthy and comforting.”
If you know someone that is under the weather, just had a baby, or perhaps recovering from an illness or hospital stay, Amanda’s pies make a great gift. It comes back to sharing food with those we care about. “The greatest thing you can take somebody is the gift of a homemade meal,” said Amanda. “At the end of the day, flowers perish and pies nourish.”
Everything made at Southern Baked Pie Company is a family recipe. “I think that’s what sets us apart,” stated Amanda. “It’s not out of a box. They’re my grandmother’s, my mother-in-law’s and mom’s recipes. So everything is tied to family tradition, recipes that we made year after year, time after time. Our pies carry the essence of cherished memories, made with time-honored recipes that evoke a sense of nostalgia. With each slice, you might find yourself transported to a time when life moved a little slower, and people could sit together on the front porch, enjoying a slice of pie and a glass of sweet iced tea. Sharing a slice of pie isn’t just about the taste; it’s about taking a moment to reconnect with what truly matters.”
For more information on Beach Happy Cafe you can visit, https://www.beachhappycafe.com. They will be taking orders for Thanksgiving and Christmas pies. Call Beach Happy Cafe at 850-399-4028 to place your holiday pre-order for pick up.
You can find more information on Southern Baked Pie Company at https://www.southernbakedpie.com. Order online 3 pies or more and use code 30A to receive free shipping.
Author: Sowal Editor
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