Kaplan, a real-life fireman, is expanding on the success of his pies by opening a second shop. The new store, located on Main Highway in Coconut Grove, is expected to debut in early January with a larger space and more seating. At 1,115 square feet, the new location will be about double the size of the Wynwood flagship, Kaplan says.
Opening a second shop simply made sense, Kaplan says. "We ran out of space. We're opening a second store out of necessity."
At Coconut Grove, pies will have their own display case and the kitchen will be hidden in the back. It will retain a homey feel, according to Kaplan, who calls the new store "Fireman Derek's 2.0."
With more room, Kaplan will be able to offer more items. In addition to pies, cakes, and coffee, he will have a larger variety of ice cream mix-ins, which allow customers to choose their favorite pie, cake, or brownie to be mixed into their ice cream of choice (prices not yet available).
Pies at the Coconut Grove store, like at the Wynwood location, will be made daily at Kaplan's Little Haiti bakery. Croissants, cookies, and other smaller items will be baked
Kaplan says if the second shop works out, he'll look into expanding further, but don't worry: The little Wynwood storefront isn't going anywhere. "We're not closing the Wynwood shop; we're just adding on," the fireman-turned-baker says.
Fireman Derek's Bake Shop & Cafe. 3435 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove; firemanderekspies.com. Opening January 2019.
