WYNWOOD, Fla. – If you’re a dessert connoisseur in South Florida, there’s a good chance you’ve recommended Fireman Derek’s Bake shop to friends visiting from out of town, or, you’ve run in late-night to secure two slices of pie after dinner. Or, if you wanted to secure your status as the “favorite child” among your siblings, you just recently surprised mom with one of their signature confections, the “Salted Caramel” pie.
However, if you’re a true regular, you’ll know that the bake shop gets busy during peak hours, especially at their flagship store located at 2818 N. Miami Ave. in the heart of Wynwood. Plus, the original location is best suited for walk-in, walk-out dessert-eating. (Or, for grabbing a plastic spoon and digging in as soon as you get back to your car parked along N. Miami Ave.)
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This is why Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop has announced they will be relocating their Wynwood shop into a brand new space across the street that will officially open its doors in late May of 2021. However, until opening, those can continue visiting their original flagship shop.
The new, 25-seat bake shop will be located just three blocks south from the original Wynwood shop, boasting a much larger space with plentiful seating. At 2,000 square feet, the new location — located at 2545 North Miami Avenue — will be about triple the size of the original shop.
Since opening in 2014, Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop has evolved into a must-try destination for locals and visitors, offering a selection of classic and over-the-top pies, cakes, milkshakes, and other delectable confections at both their Wynwood and Coconut Grove locations.
The shop is the brainchild of former Miami-Dade County Station 1 firefighter and pie master, Derek Kaplan. He and his team have been whisking up confections in their Wynwood and Coconut Grove shops for years, and now, it’s time for a facelift.
“This relocation was long overdue,” says Kaplan, who notes that the new store is across the street from the commissary space he originally used during his food truck days. “We’ve grown exponentially since we opened our tiny shop in 2014 and desperately needed the additional square footage.”
Kaplan notes, “Though it’s a good problem to have in these uncertain times, truthfully, we’ve completely outgrown the space. As we expand our offerings and refresh the brand, we needed a space that work logistically and delivered a better experience for our customers. I’m thrilled to still be in Wynwood, the neighborhood where the bake shop first came to be.”
And what can regulars and fans of the shop expect at their new flagship store? Everything and more.
At the new Wynwood shop, cakes, pies and savory items will have their own separate display cases for a “more customer-friendly experience,” states the press release. Plus, Kaplan will also offering his own line of hand-churned ice cream inspired by the bakery’s titillating goodies (his Coconut Grove shop has been slinging frozen cups of creamy goodness since September 2020, shortly after he graduated from Penn State University’s Ice Cream School. Casual).
Furthermore, fans can expect a state-of-the-art kitchen, which will be hidden in the back, where brownies, cookies, and other items will be baked onsite with pies and cakes made daily at Kaplan’s Little Haiti bakery.
Staying true to its Wynwood roots, the new location will retain an industrial, artsy feel, with décor in sync with the laidback atmosphere. Guests can expect “Instagrammable” neon signage and a hand-painted, pie-themed mural stretched across walls.
“I’ve always had big dreams for Fireman Derek’s” states Kaplan, fondly recalling those early days baking when he wasn’t on duty as a Miami-Dade firefighter. “Broward and Palm Beach County have a number of neighborhoods that would be perfect for future stores. We intend to expand into these new markets. Though we’ve been around for close to a decade, I like think we’re just getting started.”
Fireman Derek’s Bake Shop in Wynwood is located at 2545 North Miami Avenue. They may be reached at (786) 703-3623, on Instagram @fdpies, or, by visiting firemandereks.com. For nationwide shipping, click here.