I don't get down to Norman very often but I noticed today that Marie Callender's has closed. Does anybody know when this happened? I am crushed because Marie Callender's was my favorite place for pies.

Try going to Don's Alley for pies. They do custom orders.

It has been closed for awhile, I know that it was when I drove through there in October and for some reason I think it was closed when I was there in March. There was only one left in Austin and it wouldn't surprise me if it has closed as well. The last time we ate there it was not good at all. The pies were the only redeeming value the place had, seems like it should have just been a pie shop.

It closed quite some time back, but I do not recall when.

This should help...

http://normantranscript.com/x1678755712/Marie-Callender-s-shutters-in-Norman


June 14, 2011
Marie Callender’s shutters in Norman
By Andrew Knittle
The Norman Transcript

NORMAN — The Marie Callender’s restaurant in Norman has apparently shuttered after its parent company filed for federal bankruptcy protection on Monday.

I ate there a few times and it got progressively worse. The quality of food went down and the place started to get run down. Hopefully something new can go in there soon so it doesn't sit empty for too long. Unless of course it is caught up in the bankruptcy courts still.

The last time we ate the South Austin location it was pretty much inedible and I don't use that term too much. I got the French Dip, the roast beef was tough and just tasted horrible, the pie was good though.

Looking at their website it looks like all in Oklahoma are closed and they are down to three in Texas, the North Austin location and two in the San Antonio area. There is only one left in the Denver area (Littleton) and I have noticed a couple of closed up locations here. We do have 9 Perkin's locations in the Denver area and they have pretty good pies. Village Inn has also been promoting their whole pies quite a bit as well around here. It looks like Perkin's only has a Stillwater and Ponca City locations left in Oklahoma. I still prefer the little mom-n-pop type of places we frequented on the motorcycles in Texas and I know there are some of those type here in Colorado and I'm sure there are some in the small towns around Oklahoma.

Pioneer Pies on the north side of 240 is convienient.

They just reported on the news here in Denver that the last Marie Callender's in this area was closed, December 24th was their last day open.

Denver Post - Colorado's last Marie Callender's closed because of economy: vendors, employees to be paid (http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19626924)

From the article it looks like Perkin's & Marie Callender's Inc. wanted franchise owners to sign a new 10-year agreement that included a new 3% marketing fee. They closed 31 Marie Callender's and 31 Perkin's restaurants back when they filed Chapter 11 in July.

Pioneer Pies on the north side of 240 is convienient.

And MUCH better pies.