When strolling down Main Street in Ferndale, you might spot a powder-blue bakery sign promising scrumptious treats. Once you step inside, you’ll likely find the namesakes of Barb’s Pies and Pastries: a vast selection of pies and Owner Barb O’Brine.
Photograph by Kristen Boehm
“I’ve been working in Ferndale longer than I care to tell you,” says O’Brine, who founded the business in 1999. “February was our 25th anniversary, I can’t believe it. We made it through COVID—in fact, we grew.”
That growth spurred the business to move locations in October 2022. According to O’Brine, they tripled their space, gained a lot of “bells and whistles,” and decided to add savory, bigger dishes to the menu to encourage their customers to make use of their plentiful dining area.
“It’s exciting to see our growth. You know, we have our regulars who come in, they bring their kids in for donuts, or it’s family time so they get their pies. Lots of businesses stop by to get our scones or cinnamon rolls for office meetings. So now, we just wanted to add that extra element to it with the lunch menu.”
Lunchtime Expansion
O’Brine’s lunch has had a running start thanks to some irresistible menu items. The Whiskey Crab Soup, for instance, is always selling out. It’s a rich tomato bisque with “a little bit of sherry, a little bit of whiskey, and crab… lots of crab.”
They’ve also had an enthusiastic response to their Hawaiian dishes, like their Loco Moco and Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken.
Photograph by Ava Boorn
“We have some family members who are Hawaiian, and they started [adding to our menu] with Hawaiian food, and it became very popular,” says O’Brine. “I didn’t know that people even knew what a musubi was, and people are always asking for it now that they know I have it.”
Just in case you haven’t encountered them before, musubi, specifically Spam musubi like O’Brine offers, is a popular Hawaiian snack resembling sushi or onigiri. A slice of spam, usually grilled or fried, is put on top of a thick bed of sticky rice. It’s then held together with a seaweed band. These handheld snacks pack big flavor and can get pretty addicting, so watch out!
Although they’d previously announced they’d be expanding further to offer a dinner menu, Barb’s Pies and Pastries will stick to lunchtime hours for now. The menu is still expanding, and O’Brine hopes to offer an exciting switch-up each week.
“We will be continuing our lunchtime with a burger or two, and we’re going to do a weekly special,” says O’Brine. “Maybe a french dip on our homemade hoagie rolls, or a fish taco. You know, just something different.”
On top of these new lunch options, Barb’s offers lots of ways to enjoy the humble potato, including Poutine, Truffle Fries, and a Fish n’ Fries basket. There’s quiche every day, both with crust and crustless for folks with dietary restrictions. There’s even a home-cooking breakfast menu featuring Biscuits and Gravy, a customizable Breakfast Sandwich, and Breakfast a la Carte for when you need two slices of bacon, stat! Barb’s serves drip coffee with Seattle favorite Caffe D’arte beans and uses leftover juices from the fruits that go into her pies and pastries for iced teas and lemonades.
From All-Day, Everyday to Catering for your Big Day
O’Brine reassures us that even while her lunch menu expands, her bakery is staying in full swing. For walk-ins, fresh-baked goods are ready in the bakery cases for customers to pick and choose from. On any given day, you could find Maple Bars, Mochi Donut Dozens, Scones, Hand Pies, Sticky Buns, Brownies… the list goes on and on. If you want something specific, Barb’s is more than happy to take a pre-order from you. The holidays are busy times at Barb’s, which isn’t surprising considering how much people love her pumpkin pies! Barb’s also caters special events, including weddings.
“We have these adorable little mini pies, super-super cute,” O’Brine says. “I have an order for a bride this summer and she’s going to have 250 of them. It kind of replaces cupcakes, and oftentimes they’ll get a bigger pie for them to do the traditional cutting.”
O’Brine can create any of her pies in the mini sizes, even “little baby lemon meringues,” but says traditional flavors like caramel apple, strawberry rhubarb, and bumbleberry (mixed berry with blackberries, raspberries, blueberries) reign supreme. She’s also worked with brides who were looking for something crustless, like a tart with fresh fruit, which are very refreshing for summer weddings.
Alternatively, folks might choose seven or eight regular pies to split among their guests at events. There’s also a “slab pie” or “sheet pie”—that’s a big pie that would probably stay in the kitchen and be served already cut-up, which makes for an economical way to feed a lot of pie to a lot of guests. On top of all these options, you can even hire Barb’s to come out to your event and set everything up for you. There’s nothing better than artisanal pies displayed by the artists!
Community-Building Cornerstone
As people visit the bakery, O’Brine and her team greet everyone with a smile and friendly words, asking about their family, jobs, and the general events of their day. The environment and community of the bakery bring an extra flare of homey comfort to your day and meal.
Photograph by Ava Boorn
“Bakeries make good treats, but what we’re selling a lot of the time is nostalgia,” says O’Brine. “You know, you might be having a bad day, but then you walk in the door and you’re like, ‘Oh, there’s that maple bar, I had one of those when I was a kid and it’s such a good memory for me, and now my day is so much better.’”
After 25 years of heading the bakery, O’Brine is ready to retire. She’s looking forward to finding the right person to take up the mantle, who’ll be ready to take on a thriving bakery and keep building community connections in Ferndale.
“I will tell you; the bakery has been a mission for me,” says O’Brine. “It’s been a place to reach out to the community, and we have been more than successful in that endeavor. My staff and I know people’s names, we know if their daughter just had a baby or if it’s their kids first day of kindergarten. … It’s not unusual for us to come out from behind the counter and give a person a great big hug and say, ‘We’re so glad that you’re here.’ And to me, that’s what makes the world a better place.” 2054 Main St., Ferndale, 360.393.3780, barbspiesandpastries.com
