It may be a little late for Christmas cookies, but not for cookie news. National chain Crumbl Cookies has announced it plans to open a location in Charleston this spring.
I had never even heard of the place, but apparently this is big news. As soon as the announcement was made, my phone started blowing up with readers completely losing their minds.
Seriously, the squeals, shrieks and OMGs were insane, so I had to do a little digging.
Featuring more than 170 cookie flavors in its repertoire, the popular bakery changes up its menu every week to give customers at least four or five different specialty cookies to enjoy.
You’ll always find their signature milk chocolate chip cookie in the case, along with others like an orange roll cookie with cream cheese and fresh citrus; the waffle cookie made with maple syrup and buttercream; or a caramel shortbread cookie topped with crumbled Twix.
‘Tis the season? Try a cinnamon-sugary snickerdoodle; an eggnog cookie with buttercream and ground nutmeg; or a frozen hot chocolate cookie topped with cocoa-flavored mousse and mini marshmallows.
Or maybe the molten lava, pecan pie, peanut butter brittle, lemon crinkle, sea salt toffee, Boston cream pie, Andes Mint, maple cinnamon roll, salted caramel cheesecake, lemon blackberry or hazelnut sea salt cookies.
And the list goes on!
The dreamchild of two cookie-obsessed cousins, Crumbl’s early roots took hold after batch after batch of failed cookie dough encouraged them to crowd-source for cooking-baking tips – a practice the chain continues today, regularly seeking customer input on new cookie flavors to introduce.
Their first store opened in Utah back in 2017 and the chain quickly expanded to more than 600 bakeries in 47 states – including its current sole West Virginia location in Morgantown – making it the fastest-growing cookie company in the country.
That success is good and all, but maybe Crumbl would like to buy a vowel?
Stay tuned to The Food Guy for updates on the exact location and opening day for the Charleston location, should it come to pass as planned.
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In other Charleston food news, beloved local watering hole and pub-grub spot The Bear’s Den in the basement of the old Daniel Boone Hotel at 405 Capitol St. gave us quite a scare when current owner Frank Lewis recently announced he was ready to retire after spending the past 5 years running the joint.
Cries of potentially missing out on the restaurant’s highly praised club sandwich came swiftly, but folks may not have anything to fear just yet.
“The Bear’s Den has been such a special place and we are looking to sell our business to someone who will put just as much love and effort into what we all have,” he wrote in a Facebook post announcing the decision.
But, he stressed: “We are not closing and have zero plans of closing! We are just looking for a buyer!”
Thank goodness.
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Steven Keith is a food writer and restaurant critic known as “The Food Guy” who writes a weekly column for the Charleston Gazette-Mail and has appeared in several state, regional and national culinary publications. Follow him online at www.wvfoodguy.com or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. He can be reached at 304-380-6096 or at wvfoodguy@aol.com.