Fried pie shop tucked away in mountainside

Just an hour south of Norman, Arbuckle Fried Pies is a classic pit stop for travelers going up and down I-35.

Opening in 1954 just south of the Arbuckle Mountains, the fried pie shop has been serving customers with a variety of savory, cream- and fruit-filled pies as they make their way down the interstate.

The original location of Arbuckle Fried Pies in Davis, Oklahoma, was bought in 1954 by E.W. Pletcher, but the land was leased to Texaco in the early 1970s, according to their website. After the lease ended, Pletcher reclaimed the land and took over operations of the gas station.

In the 1980s, the station added a restaurant to help with the struggling business, and featured fried pies on the menu. When Pletcher moved to other ventures, his son, Jerry Pletcher, took the helm and started selling the pies from the station once again.

According to the website, pies were introduced to the station when business was struggling, and the business flourished as more focus was placed on the pies themselves. Now, Arbuckle Fried Pies is enjoyed by Oklahomans across the state and beyond.

The original location is in Davis, but the company has branched out all across Oklahoma and beyond. According to their website, there are 13 locations across Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Arkansas, including Oklahoma City.

The original store is tucked away in the corner of a mountainside just before or after a large turn, so you can stop for a pie as you take the exit.

Arbuckle Mountain Fried Pies in Davis, OK on Feb. 10
Ray Bahner/OU Daily

Arbuckle Fried Pies currently serves 22 different flavors of pie to satisfy customers’ taste buds. These include sweet fruit flavors like blueberry and apple, creamy pies filled with chocolate or lemon, and savory pies like the broccoli and chicken or the Tex-Mex. The company also offers several sugarless pie flavors in the fruit selection.

Michelle Swartzbaugh, manager of Arbuckle Fried Pies, said that the pies, made at every location, all start from the original in Davis.

“We make all our pies here,” Swartzbaugh said. “We make our own dough, the filling, everything. Pies are made every day. We get here at 6 and open at 7. All the locations get the ingredients and make the pies there, but it all comes from here.”

Because the company sells so many pies each day, they are made fresh every morning with more added throughout the day as needed, which adds up. Swartzbaugh said that they might go through 1,300-1,500 pies per day in the winter season, but it is significantly more hectic in the summers.

“Summertime, of course you have Turner Falls and we have Falls Creek Church Camp just down the road, and for eight weeks they have 5,000-6,000 kids. So, we get a lot of people coming through,” Swartzbaugh said.

The store offers a large seating area decorated with various pictures from the store’s history, as well as an assortment of Western decals for anyone who needs a break from driving to sit down and indulge in a pie. Drinks are also sold to help wash down the food.

While travelers might want to stop and take a break to enjoy their pies at the original station, if they’re pressed for time the pies are in no danger of spoiling. Swartzbaugh said that the pies will last around seven days in the refrigerator.

While they do serve quite a few different pie flavors, Swartzbaugh said there are some clear favorites among customers, like the apple and chocolate pies, and that her favorite right now is pineapple. Among the savory options, the Tex-Mex is among the most popular.

The pie shop is always adding new flavors to their classics. Blueberry was added just last year. The store also sells a few seasonal pies for when the holidays roll around.

“We used to have a beef and vegetable flavor, but it didn’t sell too well so we removed it,” Swartzbaugh said. “Our newest flavors have been blueberry and strawberry, and they’ve both been doing really well.”

Whether customers need a break on a long drive, want to discover their next must-stop spot or just need a sweet treat, Arbuckle Fried Pies is proudly serving.