The Katie Lee UNEMPLOYABLE book debuts exclusively at Target stores nationwide on September 27, 2026, priced at $24.99. The debut memoir from the St. Louis restaurateur behind KATIE’S Pizza & Pasta arrives alongside an expanded lineup of her packaged Italian foods on Target end-aisle displays and a companion vinyl album, “One Night at Katie’s.”
What Is the Katie Lee UNEMPLOYABLE Book?
According to the official press release issued under “SOURCE Katie’s” via PR Newswire on September 10, 2026, UNEMPLOYABLE: The Katie Lee Story is published by Swan Bluff Press (ISBN 979-8-9964877-0-7) and traces Lee’s path from a difficult childhood in St. Louis to building KATIE’S into a national food brand. The book will be sold exclusively at Target from September 27 through October 31, 2026, displayed alongside her line of sauces, frozen pasta bakes, dried pasta, and olive oil, before expanding to other retailers on November 1.
Lee, an award-winning restaurateur and entrepreneur, founded KATIE’S Pizza & Pasta in St. Louis and has since grown a consumer packaged-goods business now carried in more than 6,000 grocery stores nationwide — up from 400 stores just a year earlier, per the release.
Why the Target Launch Matters
The book’s release is timed to a major retail moment for Lee’s food business: Target’s end-aisle displays this month will showcase her full KATIE’S product range — sauces, frozen pasta bakes, dried pastas, and olive oil — alongside the book and album. The company describes itself as the only women-owned, certified pizza company operating at this scale while maintaining 100% ownership.
The release also confirms a companion vinyl album, “One Night at Katie’s,” featuring 14 original tracks composed with musicians ELPENTHE and Roman GianArthur, with vocals from Monica Martin, GianArthur, Tydell, and Eric Beenk. Lee describes it as a soundtrack meant to accompany the KATIE’S dining experience at home. Both the book and album go on sale at additional retailers starting November 1, 2026.
The memoir itself is candid about hardship, addiction recovery, and rebuilding — Lee has said she wrote it as, in her words, “a roadmap for everyone who was told they didn’t have a chance.” Readers curious about her food business can see how her Italian retail line compares with other pasta-forward recipes on the site, including this Healthy Pasta Recipes guide.
Quick Questions
When does UNEMPLOYABLE become available outside Target? The press release states both the book and the “One Night at Katie’s” vinyl album expand to additional retailers nationwide starting November 1, 2026, after the initial Target exclusivity window ends October 31.
How big is Katie Lee’s food business today? According to the release, KATIE’S grew from four SKUs in about 400 specialty grocery stores in September 2025 to 18 SKUs of premium Italian products in roughly 6,000 grocery stores by September 2026.
Is Katie Lee still involved in her restaurants day-to-day? Yes — the release describes her as founder and owner of both the KATIE’S Pizza & Pasta restaurant group, which now has four St. Louis-area locations, and its national packaged-goods line, which she maintains at 100% ownership.
Is This Confirmed?
Yes. The book, its Target exclusivity window, and the accompanying album are confirmed directly by Katie’s own company through its official PR Newswire release (source line: “SOURCE Katie’s”), not by a third-party report or unverified rumor. Publication date, ISBN, pricing, and retail details all come from that same company-issued announcement.
Update Log
- September 12, 2026: Article published following the September 10, 2026 official announcement of the UNEMPLOYABLE book and Target retail expansion.
