Butler Culinary Grad Baking Up Sweetie Pie Success

When Abby George started Sweetie Pie Bakery in 2023, she traded the comforts of hobby baking for the hustle and precision of running a small business. Now every Saturday you can find her at west Wichita’s Kansas Grown farmers market selling cakes, scones, cookies and protein bars—and dreaming up her next big steps.

George’s love for baking began in childhood, practicing family recipes with her grandmother and mother during holiday marathons in the kitchen. By the time she was 16, she knew she wanted to make a career out of it. That led her to Butler Community College’s Redler Institute of Culinary Arts, where she earned her certificate in Pastry Arts.

“Redler was a game changer for my business. I became a much better baker through the pastry classes that were offered,” George says. “It was a huge help getting my business off the ground. Definitely worth it.”

One of her most valuable mentors at the Redler Institute was instructor Laurie Bruce, who guided her through the process of joining farmers markets—everything from booth setup to product presentation. “Laurie was a great, great help. She walked me through everything and was a huge influence on me,” Abby recalls.

In addition to pastry skills classes, George also took several business courses at the Redler Institute. “I took menu development and culinary math and essentials of purchasing. [And] I learned a lot about marketing. That was a big one.”

Even with all the help, the transition to commercial production was something of a shock. “You have to be so precise and you have to know the grams so you can compute all your costs. It’s a learning curve and it’s hard, but once you get through it, it's limitless what you can do.”

For George, running a bakery business involves far more than picking flavors and preheating the oven. She has to manage costs, file taxes, shop for ingredients and rotate stock. “I’m registered and licensed, so there’s lots of computer work you have to do,” she said.

Often made from the family recipes she learned as a kid, George’s baked goods have drawn rave reviews for their nostalgic flavor. “[People] say it tastes like their grandma used to make,” she says proudly.

George’s goal is to expand beyond farmers markets and secure a commercial kitchen license, which would allow her to sell in more shops. “It’s hard work,” she says, “but I love it. I could do this forever.”

The Redler Institute of Culinary Arts building is at 622 Cloud Avenue in Andover, Kansas.