Legendary Baking’s history goes back to 1969 with a single restaurant in Des Moines, IA, that served homemade fare as well as old-fashioned cream pies and double-crust fruit pies. That restaurant was purchased and renamed Poppin’ Fresh Pies.
In 1983, VICORP, the owner and franchisor of Village Inn Restaurants, purchased Poppin’ Fresh Pies and its bakeries and changed the name to Bakers Square. In 2009, after filing for Chapter 11 reorganization, VICORP was purchased by American Blue Ribbon Holdings (ABRH).
Based in Nashville, ABRH is privately held by two companies — Fidelity National and Newport Holdings. In addition to Legendary Baking, ABRH operates more than 650 company and franchise restaurants in 43 states under the Village Inn, Bakers Square, Max and Erma’s, O’Charley’s and Ninety Nine brands.