Gum tree Pies owner Melinda Neldziak can’t wait for the next installment of her business when the Wodonga shop opens this week.
Gum Tree Pies, in operation since 2010, has stores in Beechworth, Bright and Yackandandah with the Wodonga being her fourth.
Although, she didn’t plan it.
Melinda said after they opened their Beechworth store in 2019, she told her husband ‘no more’. But COVID-19 pandemic and customer frustrated at not being able to venture to her stores, made her rethink.
“We had so many people telling us how much they missed our pies during lockdown,” she said.
“Initially we thought Gum Tree Pies was more for the tourist areas but the pandemic made us realise how many people love our pies.
“We started doing some home deliveries and it made us understand just how big our following was.”
Gum Tree Pies will be located at a train carriage at Station 73 near Junction Place.
“The minute I saw the train carriages I fell in love. I’ve always loved the train station and that area so it seemed like a good choice,” she said.
Gum Tree Pies are all handmade. The filling is placed in the pies by hand, which Melinda says contributes to the brand’s success.
“It’s quite labour intensive,” she said.
“But it adds to the flavour and people can tell.”
The new shop will add approximately 10 workers to the city, including some new part-time roles.
“We will have some very experienced workers who will relocate to the shop and some new faces,” she said.
“We can’t wait to open and see everyone in Wodonga.”