Janie's Bakery Expands on Upper West Side
The New York City bakery known for its signature pie crust cookies has opened a new location in the Upper West Side neighborhood.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Baking
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Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods, owned by Janie Deegan, has officially expanded its footprint with a new storefront on the Upper West Side of New York City. The business is recognized for its unique pie crust cookies and a commitment to inclusive hiring.
Why it matters
Deegan uses her bakery to provide employment opportunities to individuals with histories of incarceration and addiction. This business model is rooted in her own journey, as she began baking as a disciplined practice to rebuild her life and confidence.
Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods specializes in inventor Janie Deegan's original pie crust cookies. The shop operates with an open-door hiring policy that focuses on potential rather than traditional resumes.
The players
Janie Deegan
She is the founder of Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods and a pastry entrepreneur based in New York City.
Janie's Life-Changing Baked Goods
This is a New York City bakery that operates with an inclusive hiring policy focused on providing opportunities to individuals with histories of addiction and incarceration.
The details
The bakery functions as a controlled environment where the technical, step-by-step nature of baking serves as a meditative practice for staff. Deegan actively recruits individuals who have faced struggles with homelessness, addiction, or past incarceration to offer them a stable path forward.
Timeline
Janie Deegan began her personal recovery process in June 2013.
Deegan struggled with addiction and homelessness approximately 13 or 14 years ago.
Culture Shift
This expansion reflects a broader trend of social enterprises in the culinary space that prioritize mission-driven recruitment alongside commercial success. It highlights how small-scale retail operations can serve as vehicles for workforce development in New York City.
Residents of the Upper West Side can support the bakery's social mission through their daily purchasing choices. The new storefront increases neighborhood access to the signature pie crust cookies while sustaining the bakery's inclusive workforce.
The takeaway
Deegan's path demonstrates that professional stability can be a powerful tool for those working to overcome past personal obstacles. Implementing structured, step-based workflows in a kitchen can provide both high-quality products and a supportive environment for staff development.
Further reading
Learn more about the local culinary scene in our Baking section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC7 New York.
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