New owners for Bentonville’s Gooseberry Handmade Pies

by Paul Gatling ([email protected]) 1,970 views 

A locally owned bakery just off Walton Boulevard in Bentonville is under new ownership.

Paul Frintrup and his wife, Abbie, are the new owners of Gooseberry Handmade Pies at 2210 S. Walton Blvd., Suite 12. They bought the business from Jerry Leding and his daughter, Sarah Leding, in September. They opened the business in October 2014.

Financial terms of the purchase were not disclosed.

Frintrup has 25 years of experience as a professional chef. He spent the past five years as executive chef at the Country Club of Little Rock.

“I left to pursue my dream of owning my own business with my wife and family,” he said.

Frintrup described the business as a true “mom-and-pop” store. He and his wife are the only two employees.

“Sales revenue is very small right now [since] it was a retirement gig for Jerry,” Frintrup said. “I plan on growing the business in the years to come.”

Frintrup said, on average, the store will have up to 10 flavors of pies available each week, in large (10 inches) and small (5 inches). He said he is also planning to introduce a variety of baked goods to the menu, as well as pot pies, fresh pasta and take-out meals.

“I am also planning to expand the business into private and event catering,” he said.

Gooseberry is open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.