A man who made a name for himself selling cookies on the mainland is returning to his roots, as he prepares to open his first store in his hometown of St. John’s.
Craig Pike, the owner of Craig’s Cookies, opened his first location in Toronto in 2013.
The business has since expanded across the GTA and most recently, St. John’s.
An actor and musician by trade, Pike says the business blossomed after he started baking cookies and selling them on the side to help pay the bills.
Now, he’s branching out to open his first location in Newfoundland.
Originally from Kilbride, he knew he wanted to open a location in his hometown, and when a building on Duckworth Street became vacant this past August, he figured it was the right time.
Craig’s Cookies pivoted to online delivery during the early stages of the Toronto lockdowns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges, the business managed to grow 40% during that time.
Pike says it all started with his mother’s chocolate chip cookie recipe.
After seeing Pop Tarts on sale, he thought the two might mix well.
He’s since created 85-100 flavours, including a few Newfoundland exclusives like Caramel Log and Jam Jam cookies.
Craig’s Cookies St. John’s is located at 83 Duckworth Street.