Friday afternoon the Humboldt Park eatery and soda fountain was packed with neighborhood residents and longtime customers like Mike Heinlen who were looking to savor the tasty victory.
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"I'm happy that they got the exposure. Hopefully it helps their business," he said.
Spinning J's sweet road to clinching the golden pie plate began when Grossman entered the national contest. She eventually beat out Hoosier Mama Pie Company, just a couple miles away in West Town, to head to a final bake off in New York City.
Spinning J Bakery defeated competition from Tampa, Denver and Boston to win it all with her cranberry yuzu meringue pie.
"We've had the pie before. It's good. It's decadent and fluffy and delicious and perfect," said Rita Srivastava.
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The bakery owner, who's worked in commercial kitchens since she was a teen, now not only has bragging rights but also $10,000 in prize money.
Once word of the win got out, the coveted cranberry yuzu meringue pie sold out, but the shop said they'll have more this weekend.
Despite all the attention, Grossman remains humble and shares the win with her staff at Spinning J Bakery, which is named for her grandmother's Spinning Jenny necklace.