Mermaid Pies and Produce takes place of Connie’s Produce in Cortez

When Andrea Spring walked into what used to be Connie’s Produce, there wasn’t much there to guide her about what the former owner carried except an old produce list and a few stickers on the wall above produce bins.

Nonetheless, Spring, 60, made it her mission to bring back the spirit of Connie’s Produce. The owner of Connie’s Produce, Connie Rosko, died in November after an extended illness. Spring’s brother, Justin McNesky, owned a comic book and antique shop next door to Connie’s Produce. When the space next to his became available, Spring jumped on it.

After running Sign of the Mermaid in Anna Maria for 25 years with her former husband, Spring moved on to the Sandbar restaurant, where she was the pastry chef. She suffered an injury on the job and was out for about six months before she got back into the Anna Maria Island restaurant scene.

Spring originally thought she would retire after leaving Sign of the Mermaid, but opportunities kept pulling her back in. The latest came in the form of the produce shop at 10115 Cortez Road W. She plans to keep everything the same — including Rosko’s original recipe salsa — and add some of her own award-winning flavor to the shop, now called Mermaid Pies and Produce.

Since winning a contest at Taste of Manatee in 1989, Spring has competed in dozens of food and baking competitions. She particularly enjoys competing in the American Pie Council National Pie Championships. From her first trip to the pie championships 10 years ago, Spring brought home $5,000 and a best-in-show ribbon for her Key lime pie. She’s been hooked on competing, and often winning, ever since.

She won the best-in-show award for a chocolate raisin pie in 2010 and a peanut butter cracker pie three years later. Key lime pie is still one of her best-sellers. She’s also cooked and competed in the World Food Championships. She skipped the National Pie Championships this year, held in May, to work on opening Mermaid Pies and Produce. The championships are always held in Orlando, and Spring intends to return next year.

Ed Chiles, owner of the Sandbar, Mar Vista and Beach House restaurants on Anna Maria Island, is proud to see his former pastry chef take on a new venture.

“Andrea worked with our team making her prize-winning Key lime pie along with other fine desserts that our guests enjoyed,” Chiles said. “We’re happy to hear she’s staying in the area and wish her much success.”

Just as Spring started working on moving into the former Connie’s Produce spot, McNesky decided he needed less space. A lot of his business is done online, Spring said, and she wanted to expand her kitchen space. Eventually, the produce and pie shop will have a wider selection of desserts, grab-and-go salads, gift baskets and more Florida products to offer.

Spring was born in Sarasota and has a passion for the Florida lifestyle. Her parents met while they both attended Ringling College. Spring now lives on Anna Maria Island, which she described as a “micro Key West.” Her goal for Mermaid Pies and Produce is to provide the surrounding community with what they need while shining a spotlight on Florida-grown products.

“I’m so focused on the theme and the path of this place,” Spring said. “I just feel like it’s the right way to go.” Spring runs the shop with her nephew, Ryan, and cousin, Amy. The three are still finalizing how the shop will be set up and what they’ll carry. Eventually, Spring wants to offer catering, and this week she finalized a deal to sell her pies wholesale.

“We hope that they like that we’re doing more,” Spring said. “It’s the same, but more.”

Rosko used to wholesale produce, but Spring chose not to.

While she grows the business, property owner Thomas Boles, who is a seasonal resident from New York, wants to update and beautify the property, beginning with a paint job and sharpening the signage. Boles is looking ahead to the growth headed for West Bradenton and the areas surrounding Cortez.

“It just looks like it’s going to take off,” Boles said.

Spring hopes to open earlier and have a coffee and house-made pastry hour. But for now, Mermaid Pies and Produce is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information, call the shop at 941-254-4783.

This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 5:39 PM with the headline "Mermaid Pies and Produce takes place of Connie’s Produce in Cortez."