Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Smith
Hi Jackie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The Cookie Box started in my home kitchen in 2019 after being laid off from a corporate position and difficulty finding a new opportunity. I started experimenting with decorated sugar cookies and then expanded to drop cookies to be sold at the Lake Saint Louis Farmer’s and Artist Market where we have now been a vendor for 5 seasons. I quickly outgrew my home kitchen and we moved to a home where I was able to have commercial equipment in the basement for my own cookie space. After 2 years baking from home and juggling a new full-time job, I fully focused on The Cookie Box and within 9 months moved into our Highway K location in O’Fallon (2443 Hwy K). We have since expanded our cookie offerings including Gluten Free options. Custom decorated sugar cookies for parties and gifts are still our main focus but we often like to experiment with new flavors of drop cookies and support walk-in customers who need a sweet treat.
In November 2024 we opened a second location in Cottleville at 3917 Mid Rivers Mall Drive where fresh baked cookies are available through drive thru only. What used to be a drive thru coffee shack is now lovingly referred to as The Box for it’s small footprint but don’t be fooled, cookies are being baked in that little space daily for maximum freshness.
The Cookie Box name was inspired by my childhood and relationship with my grandmother, Jojo. I sent Jojo a self-decorated box and asked her to bake chocolate chip cookies and send them back to me (she was in Oklahoma and I was in Texas). We continued this traditional into my 20’s when I started sending her cookies in that same “cookie box” I decorated in the late 80’s.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Any struggles we’ve faced have never seemed too bad and I think that is because of the support from my immediate and extended family. We’ve had the typical miscommunication on orders at times or supply shipments missing, but nothing so severe that we haven’t been able to adapt and keep moving forward. When owning a business the biggest obstacle is time – there is never enough. Knowing that not everything can and be done in a day though helps set expectations.
As you know, we’re big fans of The Cookie Box. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We specialize in custom decorated sugar cookies for parties, events, weddings and gifts. The Cookie Box is also expanding our menu to a variety of drop style cookies like Sea Salt Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle or holiday flavors like Cherry Chocolate Chip (Valentine’s) or Lucky Charm Sugar (St. Patrick’s Day). Our sugar cookies set us apart from others with their soft, tender texture, flavorful dough and soft royal icing. We like to develop relationships with our customers, making everyone feel welcome so often we will remember your orders if we start to see you on a regular basis.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Recently I read an article discussing how home bakeries, micro-bakeries and other small business bakeries are flourishing. I’ve noticed over the past years how people are making a conscious effort to support local, small business and we are just that. Often times we are asked if we are a franchise due to our sophisticated brand identity, but our branding is the result of decades in the marketing and brand space and my husband applying that to The Cookie Box. We are the definition of a homegrown, locally owned and operated small business. Our biggest industry shift and challenge is going to continue to be inflation – we keep fair pricing but we don’t have the advantages of larger chains and grocery stores who have more market share and therefore more power when negotiating and setting pricing. We make a pledge to never waver in our ingredients and quality but they may be pricing fluctuates as well in order to keep operating.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecookieboxstl.com
- Instagram: thecookieboxstl
- Facebook: thecookieboxstl
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-cookie-box-o-fallon?osq=the+cookie+box
