Libby‘s Pies

May 18, 2008

Libby Reeves knows about second chances. Owner of Libby’s restaurant in Cheboygan, and a multiple winner in the Northern Express reader’s choice poll for the Mackinaw/Cheboygan area – Best Bakery, Best Bread, Best Cup of Tea, Best Desserts, Best New Restaurant – Reeves never imagined she would be where she is today after ending up on her mother’s doorstep last summer with just her clothes in hand. With help from her family and friends, Reeves opened her own restaurant last fall and truly believes that no matter how bad life is, it always manages to turn around.
A summer resident of the Cheboygan area as a child, Reeves had no plans to move to the area permanently. After relocating with her husband last year to Kansas City, Missouri, the marriage dissolved, and Reeves ended up moving in with her mother, Bobbie Ramage, in Cheboygan, last August. She had no money, no car, and no place else to go.
“Literally, my life had come to pretty much a standstill,” admits Reeves. “When I first got here, I was cleaning motel rooms and working at Audie’s and at Mulligan’s, and I was making pies out of my mom’s house.”
Her passion for pie-making in her mother’s small kitchen proved challenging. “So, my family and friends got together,” says Reeves, “came up with a small loan, and said, ‘You have to open up your own business.’”
Originally overwhelmed by the thought, Reeves didn’t take the plan too seriously, but her friends continued to pursue it. With the help of Darlene and Ed Beauchamp and Neal and Millie Kretchman, former owners of Kretchman’s Kofeehouse and Kafé in Cheboygan, where Libby’s is now located, the new restaurant quickly became a reality.
“The Kretchmans did everything they could to make it affordable,” says Reeves, and once terms were agreed upon, “We had seven days to remodel, get organized and open up the restaurant.”

‘CHEERS’ VIBE
“Everyone said it was crazy to open a business in the fall, because that’s when the tourist season quits,” says Reeves, “but I can tell you that the people from Cheboygan have been so supportive of my business…it’s been great.”
With plenty of pink – Reeves’ favorite color – decorating the cheery, open, remodeled space, Libby’s opened October 15, with seating for 50, five paid employees and three volunteers (including Reeves’ mother).
“They call it, ‘Cheers’ without booze,” Reeves says with a laugh, noting that lunchtime is the busiest part of the day. “People hang out here for hours. We’re going to try to get a deck built outside for outdoor seating, with tables and umbrellas.”
“The only changes that we’ve made, is with the menu, and I like to change the menu about every three months,” says Reeves, who likes to plan meals around the seasons. “I don’t want my customers to get bored.”
“Everything is homemade,” she continues. “We make all our soups, all our salads (chicken, tuna, egg); we make all our own breads. We don’t have a fryer, so you can’t get a greasy burger and a thing of fries. We offer a little more of the healthier, homemade, food.”
“We make quiches and tarts, too; we try to provide things that not everybody does in Cheboygan.”

LIBBY’S SPECIALTY
“I love making pies,” admits Reeves. “I make the crust by hand; it’s a real technique to learn how to make a pie.” Pie-makers know that temperature and skill play a part in how well a crust can turn out. Reeves learned her favorite trade from Mark Hamel, owner of The French Laundry in Fenton, and once threw a whole batch of pies away – after she had reimbursed Hamel for their cost – because she didn’t get it right.
With over 25 years in the restaurant business, Reeves has learned from some of Michigan’s best: “I studied under Jimmy Schmidt – he owns the Rattlesnake Club in downtown Detroit and the Rattlesnake Club in Palms Springs (California) with Donald Trump,” she says.
“I also studied under Chef Rocky.” Chuck “Rocky” Rachwitz is most known presently for his restaurant, Rocky’s of Northville, and Steve & Rocky’s located in Novi.
It’s important to Reeves to support the area’s economy, so she buys her eggs and milk from Inverness Dairy and her apples from a local orchard in Cheboygan.
“I believe it’s so important to give back to the community,” she says. “Anything that I can buy locally will be bought locally.” She’s on the lookout for local produce markets to get supplies from this summer season – her first in business – and is looking forward to the tourists and summer residents returning to the area.
“We’re planning to do a lot of catering this summer,” says Reeves. “I’m going to try to do a little wholesaling to get my pies out.” Look for her at Cheboygan’s farm markets this summer.

WANNA LEARN?
“We also have cooking classes too,” says Reeves. “We’ve done six cooking classes, and we have a waiting list.” Students have been taught how to make pies, soup, pasta and hors d’oeuvres and a summer and fall schedule is being arranged right now. Classes will be held in the evenings beginning at 6 p.m. and will be offered May through October. Prices range from $40-$75, depending on that night’s menu.
“There’s been a huge response,” says Reeves, happily, reflecting on how far she’s come in the last nine months.
“Now, I have my own restaurant, own vehicle, I live in my own house,” says Reeves, with relief in her voice. “If you ever think there’s not a better day coming...things can turn around.”
And to those visitors and residents in the Cheboygan area, she adds: “I love talking to people; come on in and check out the place and say hi. We have the best pies in town!”

Visit Libby’s from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday-Saturday at 414 N. Main St. in downtown Cheboygan. Call 231-627-4780 or e-mail libbyreeves3@yahoo.com for more information.