The Pie Hole, the Los Angeles-based concept and fastest growing pie and coffee shop in the nation, has brought on restaurant industry veteran Edie Ames as Chief Executive Officer. Ames joins The Pie Hole’s team of established co-founders to oversee expansion efforts and continue launching the brand across the U.S. and abroad.

Ames’ 30-year career has spanned Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, where she has collected a wealth of industry knowledge and refined her passion for employee and guest care. Ames most recently served as president of The Counter and BUILT Custom Burgers, where she oversaw company-wide operations and growth of its franchises. Before that, Ames was the Executive Vice President of Operations for Wolfgang Puck Catering, the Chief Operating Officer at both Real Mex Restaurants and Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group, and the President at Morton’s of Chicago, Inc. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for The Cheesecake Factory, Inc.

“We are excited to welcome Edie to The Pie Hole team, as we know her vast experience in the restaurant industry will help us exceed the goals we’ve set for the company,” says The Pie Hole co-founder, Sean Brennan. “Edie’s passion for the industry matches the passion we had when we initially opened The Pie Hole, and we have full confidence she will carry the concept to its full potential.”

The Pie Hole was founded in 2011 by mother and son duo Rebecca Grasley and Matthew Heffner, who baked pies together in their family kitchen. Armed with Grasley’s four-generations-old recipe book, the pair enlisted Heffner’s wife, Lindsay Hollister, and family friend Sean Brennan to help bring their classic family recipes to the masses. All of The Pie Hole’s menu items are made from scratch and by-hand, featuring traditional and creative flavors of the sweet and savory variety. The “all-American” pie shop offers classics like menu mainstay Mom’s Apple Crumble and seasonally available Moe’s Pumpkin, while also serving up pies with a modern twist, including the Earl Grey Tea Pie, Mac ‘n Cheese Pot Pie, PIEfaits, and more. The Pie Hole has also developed an exclusive line of Fair Trade coffees to pair with their one-of-a-kind pies. Each location has certified baristas on staff to serve specialty house blends, on-tap nitro cold brew coffee, and hand-pulled espresso drinks made with Fair Trade coffee beans.

The handmade pie concept currently operates eight locations across Southern California, including six stores in Los Angeles County and one each in Orange and San Bernardino Counties. They also have a location in North Carolina and three locations in Tokyo, Japan.

The Pie Hole is partnered with Fransmart, the industry leading franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers & Fries and The Halal Guys, as their exclusive franchise development partner to grow the brand. The concept has also received a strategic investment financial capital from Kitchen Fund, a leading investor in growth.

The Pie Hole is currently looking for experienced multi-unit foodservice operators to develop franchise territories in major markets across the country.