Paul's Pot Pies Celebrates 40 Years on Marietta Square

MARIETTA — Gerry Cottrell, of Marietta, said three great things came out of New Jersey: Bruce Springsteen, saltwater taffy and Paul’s Pot Pies.

Every few weeks for the past eight years, Cottrell has been visiting the pie shop on Marietta Square to pick up 14 small chicken pot pies for his son.

While his son is a die-hard chicken fan, Cottrell said he and his wife personally love the shepherd’s pie which contains ground beef, peas, corn, mozzarella and mashed potatoes.

The takeout-only shop offers around 14 different flavors of frozen pot pies, from the classics to new creations like chicken curry, seafood chowder, southwestern taco and even a vegetarian option. Customers can choose from a 6-inch pie, ranging from $10 to $14, or a 10-inch pie, which serves six and costs $28 to $36.

All pies are cooked at a second takeout-only location in Kennesaw and delivered to the Marietta shop each morning. Frozen pre-made pies of all sizes and flavors can be purchased at both locations.

“We’ve probably had them all over time and they’re all good,” Cottrell said. “It’s got everything you need in one tin.”

In October, Paul Lubertazzi, who owns Paul’s Pot Pies with his wife Roberta, will celebrate 40 years of serving pies on the Square.

After moving from New Jersey, Lubertazzi and his mother, Patricia Bowen, decided to open Traveling Fare, a catering business two doors down from the current location on Mill Street, on Halloween of 1984.

A few years later, they expanded the business to a sit-down, full-service restaurant.

Despite selling a variety of food, people always came back for the chicken pot pie, which they sold by the slice, Lubertazzi said.

“One day, a woman came in and asked if they could sell her a whole pie before they cut into it,” he said.

After that, they began selling their pies at the Marietta Square Farmers Market, where they were able to give out samples and attract more customers, eventually convincing Lubertazzi to shift to a pie-only takeout business.

“It’s hard to believe where the time went,” Lubertazzi said. “It goes fast but we enjoy it every day.”

Lubertazzi said he was initially drawn to the Square’s small town charm.

“We were hooked as soon as we saw the Square,” Lubertazzi said. “It was one of the best decisions we made.”

While he said the area’s charm has remained intact, the makeup of the Square has completely changed, adding that there were more antique stores than restaurants when he first moved there.

“When we opened up, Theatre in the Square was (across the street) where Cool Beans Coffee Roasters is,” Lubertazzi said. “I think we’re the oldest store up here now, almost every shop has changed.”

Lubertazzi credits the unique offering and loyal customers like Cottrell for allowing them to reach their 40th anniversary.

“It’s comfort food, it’s homemade, and people like that,” Lubertazzi said. “What makes our pies popular too is it’s easy, just pop it in the oven, and an hour and a half later, it’s done.”

Knowing from personal experience, Cottrell added that the pies are great for people who want an easy dinner for themselves or their kids, since there’s no preparation involved.

While many patrons buy pies for an easy dinner, about a third of pies sold are gifts, usually for someone who just had a baby or recently had surgery, Lubertazzi said.

Of the many flavors, he said chicken, turkey, pot roast and shepherd’s pie are the most popular, although his personal favorite is the Italian sausage with provolone, mozzarella, bell peppers, onions and zucchini.

“Everybody has their favorite, but the chicken wins by far. Of every 100 pies we sell, probably 70 of them are chicken,” Lubertazzi said.

After making pies almost every day for the past four decades, Lubertazzi said he likes to mix things up and introduce at least one or two specialty pies to the menu each month.

Past specialty pie flavors include buffalo chicken, chicken Philly and a corned beef Reuben pie.

Lubertazzi, who went to The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, said he has always loved cooking and getting creative with food

“Even with pot pies, you can make up any recipe you want, doesn’t make it wrong, and stay creative,” he said.

He was first introduced to cooking from his two grandmothers, one Italian and one Polish.

“We’d go over to their houses and we’d eat good all the time,” Lubertazzi said.

Through food, he’s been able to connect with all kinds of people from the community, from parents to city officials. Harrison and Allatoona high schools have even collaborated with the restaurant, selling Paul’s Pot Pies as a way to raise money for their schools.

As for the future of the restaurant, Lubertazzi said, “my kids don’t want it, and I’m fine with that, because it’s a lot of work cooking all the time.”

However, they are currently working on getting certified to ship their pies across the country.

“When the product’s good, people are going to come back,” Cottrell said.

Paul’s Pot Pies is located at 10 Mill Street off Marietta Square and 2750 Jiles Road in Kennesaw.

Both locations are open seven days a week: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and noon to 3 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit their website, https://www.paulspotpies.com/.