It's a dream that Heidi Ritter has had for a long long time.
And now it's come true.
Ritter has opened up a one-of-a-kind pasty shop in Sault Ste Marie, the Yooper Pasty Company.
Call it a "soft" Grand Opening of sorts in their new, permanent building.
On Monday, October 10, Ritter and her husband Jeff, officially opened their doors at 951 East Portage Avenue....right next to the Soo Locks Campground.
Prior to this, they operated the business from their food trailer since Summer 2022.
Ritter has thought for the longest time that the Soo should have a pasty shop.
"I had the idea while washing dishes one day and I was staring out at the river. I was listening to a podcast about how to stop being fearful of things. It was about how to un-mess your brain," Ritter said.
Then she talked it over with her husband.
"Between a lot of prayer and manifestation, we got the trailer because we thought it would be the easiest way to test the waters," continued Ritter.
"I needed to get on my hustle and thought this would be a good career opportunity for our family. I have been baking pasties for 20 years because I am too cheap to pay for them to be shipped to me," she chuckled. "Of course, opening up a pasty shop at first is a great idea. Then you are like...this is a lot!"
Ritter's pasties became an instant hit. But it definitely was the easiest way.
"Owning a food trailer is harder and much more complicated than owning a commercial kitchen. So I did this backwards....starting the hard way with the trailer," Ritter explained.
Ritter continued on explaining how all the travels across the country over the years made her want to move back to where she grew up in the Upper Peninsula.
"After living in Washington DC, Key West, Baltimore, and Cordova (Alaska), we wanted to relocate to the U.P. because we wanted the slow pace. My husband, Jeff, fortunately, got first pick as the Captain of the USCG Buckthorn and is loving it so much they would love for him to stay. He is talking about retiring here," Ritter said.
"It is back-breaking work. I can see why maybe nobody wanted to open up a pasty shop in town," she continued,
Dozens of pasties were baked and sold on Monday with everyone walking into the place smiling because of the smell of the pasties being baked but also because of the ambience of the interior.
Ritter calls it "the Cracker Barrel of Yooper Pasties" with nostalgic items, some of which are for sale.
Ritter takes pride in making each and every pasty special.
"The pasties are so much beefier, more robust, tastier," she added.
"We are not a mass production place. We are a gourmet bakery that serves pasties. They are very unique and flavorful. I just want to be in this building for many many years talking to people and making pasties"
Ritter said the menu will continue to expand in the near future.
She also plans on having a full Grand Opening.
To keep abreast of the menu additions and updated hours at the Yooper Pasty Company, make sure you follow them on Facebook.
