LANDMARKS FREEPORT BAKERY, THE LAST MINUTE SCRAMBLE TO PICK UP DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING DAY TREATS IS ON. BUT AS WE LEARNED HERE AT FREEPORT BAKERY, YOU GOT TO GET UP PRETTY EARLY IN THE MORNING TO BEAT THE FIRST PERSON IN LINE FOR PIES. OPENING TIME AT FREEPORT BAKERY WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE THANKSGIVING. CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION. I GOT HERE ABOUT 530. I NEVER BEEN FIRST BEFORE STAFF WELCOMING IN TONY TRAN WITH APPLAUSE AND THE GIFT OF A PECAN PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE. TRADITIONAL FIRST CUSTOMER IN LINE HONORS TO GO ALONG WITH HIS ORDER. I’M PICKING UP A CAKE AND A FEW PIES. OKAY, WHAT KIND OF PIE? WHAT’S ON THE THANKSGIVING TABLE THIS YEAR? PUMPKIN PIE AND APPLE PIE. HUNDREDS OF CUSTOMERS WRAPPING AROUND THE BAKERY AND ITS PARKING LOT THROUGHOUT THE DAY. NOT FAZED A BIT. HAVING TO WAIT FOR THE HOLIDAY DESSERT DELIGHTS THEY’VE COME TO KNOW AND LOVE OVER THE YEARS. WE SEEM TO GRAVITATE BACK HERE ALL THE TIME. YEAH, SO YEAH, IT’S A FAVORITE OF OURS. WE’VE BEEN HERE SINCE 93. THIS YEAR WE’RE GOING TO MY DAUGHTER’S IN PETALUMA AND SHE SAID, MOM, CAN YOU GET GO TO FREEPORT, GET GET WHAT? WE LIKE. THIS ONE WANTED TO TRY THE NEW WHAT KIND OF CAKE IS IT THAT YOU TRY? I DON’T KNOW, IT’S LIKE A SALTED CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CAKE. I THINK IT’S GOING TO BE A SHOWSTOPPER. FROM CAKES AND CUPCAKES TO TARTS, COOKIES, DINNER ROLLS AND OF COURSE, THE STARS OF THE TURKEY DAY SHOW THE PIES EACH YEAR, FREEPORT’S FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS LIFT UP THE LOCAL BUSINESS THAT NEVER DISAPPOINTS. DOING WHAT IT DOES BEST. IT’S INCREDIBLE. AND MY ENTIRE STAFF IS JUST LIKE, WE’RE WOWED EVERY YEAR. I MEAN, IT’S JUST IT’S PRETTY SPECIAL. AND FREEPORT BAKERY TELLS US THAT EACH YEAR AT THANKSGIVING TIME, THEY BAKE AND SELL BETWEEN 1200 TO 1500 PIES. REPORTING FROM LAND PARK MELANIE WINGO, KCRA THREE NEWS, FREEPORT BAKERY IS OPEN UNTIL 3:00 THIS AFTERNOON. THEY’LL BE CLOS
Hundreds line up at Sacramento bakery in Land Park for pre-Thanksgiving Day pie pick-up
In keeping with tradition, Sacramento’s Freeport Bakery welcomes line-out-the-door crowd
Updated: 12:27 PM PST Nov 26, 2025
Opening time at Sacramento’s Freeport Bakery in Land Park on Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving – there’s cause for celebration.Part of the bakery’s tradition includes the gift of a pecan pumpkin coffee cake to the first customer in line. This year, that went to Tony Tran, who received applause along with his gift and order. Hundreds of customers wrapped around the bakery and its parking lot throughout the day, not phased a bit, having to wait for the holiday dessert delights they’ve come to know and love over the years.Freeport’s faithful followers gather every year for cakes, cupcakes, tarts, cookies, dinner rolls and their famous pies, the stars of the Turkey Day show. “It’s incredible,” Freeport Bakery owner Marlene Goetzeler said. “My entire staff is just like, we’re wowed every year. I mean, it’s just, it’s pretty special.”Each year at Thanksgiving time, Freeport says it bakes and sells about 1,200 to 1,500 pies.Freeport Bakery will be open until 3 p.m. Wednesday and closed Thanksgiving Day.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Opening time at Sacramento’s Freeport Bakery in Land Park on Wednesday morning before Thanksgiving – there’s cause for celebration.
Part of the bakery’s tradition includes the gift of a pecan pumpkin coffee cake to the first customer in line. This year, that went to Tony Tran, who received applause along with his gift and order.
Hundreds of customers wrapped around the bakery and its parking lot throughout the day, not phased a bit, having to wait for the holiday dessert delights they’ve come to know and love over the years.
Freeport’s faithful followers gather every year for cakes, cupcakes, tarts, cookies, dinner rolls and their famous pies, the stars of the Turkey Day show.
“It’s incredible,” Freeport Bakery owner Marlene Goetzeler said. “My entire staff is just like, we’re wowed every year. I mean, it’s just, it’s pretty special.”
Each year at Thanksgiving time, Freeport says it bakes and sells about 1,200 to 1,500 pies.
Freeport Bakery will be open until 3 p.m. Wednesday and closed Thanksgiving Day.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel