Happy Apple Pie Shop offers inclusive job opportunities

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Nestled in the Art District of Oak Park is a sweet treat you don't want to miss.

Happy Apple Pie Shop has been a neighborhood staple for 3 years.

"We're most known for our apple pie, people come for the apple pie. It's our name it's what we do so we always have to have apple pie every day," said Happy Apple Pie Shop owner Michelle Mascaro.

Everyone has their favorite but all the pies at Happy Apple Pie Shop are worth a try.

"So we always have apple with our traditional double crust or our crumble crust because they both are favorites of families."

The shop has creations from sweet to savory offering chicken pot pie, vegetable pie and Sheppard's pie fresh and ready for lunch or dinner.

However, the inclusive business is known for more than just delicious dessert but making sure there are job opportunities for everyone.

"We started the pie shop because we have a daughter that has an intellectual disability and severe anxiety disorder and we always wondered where she and her friends would work," said Mascaro. "Every one of my daughter's friends loves food and I love food so we thought we'd open a food related business and pie seemed to be a good thing to do and that's how we started."

The wide variety on the menu gives everyone on staff a chance to take part in the creation process.

"My favorite thing about working here is the atmosphere," aid Happy Apple employee Estevan Connolly. "Ever since I've been working here I met new friends more people to hang out with. I enjoy working here and working with pies, it's just awesome."

Happy Apple Pie Shop is celebrating 3 years on Friday, Valentine's Day with Honey Pies and French Silk Pies.

"We hire a lot of teenagers from the high school who have a hard time finding flexible jobs and they come work together with everybody here and they learn a lot and the people here learn a lot so everybody works together," said Mascaro.

For more information visit their website happyapplepie.com.