Insomnia Cookies begins baking in Evanston
May 8, 2017
Northwestern students and Evanston residents now have a dessert option in addition to grilled cheese for late-night drunchies — cookies.
Insomnia Cookies opened its doors at 1725 Sherman Ave. on Friday. The Evanston location is Insomnia’s sixth location in the Chicago area and caters within a one-mile radius, including the NU campus and the 1st Ward, said Catharine Gatlin, Insomnia’s marketing manager.
Gatlin said sales have been going well at the new location and that “word is starting to get around” the NU student body. She said most of the customers so far have been students, but some families and other Evanston residents have stopped by to purchase cookies.
“It will definitely help that we are surrounded by a lot of other great restaurants and spots that the students are visiting already,” she said. “We have been wanting to open in Evanston and we were waiting for the right spot … so this is perfect for us.”
Delivery hours start at 10 a.m. and end at 3 a.m., and cookies are delivered “warm out of the oven and straight to the customer’s door,” according to a Friday news release.
Gatlin said Insomnia often looks to open locations close to college campuses because the late-night hours cater to students. Though NU students seem to be the most frequent customers, Gatlin said the store would also look to be active in the city.
“(Insomnia tries) to get involved with different fundraising events, local organizations, nonprofits, the local neighborhood associations to provide cookie donations for the various events,” Gatlin said. “We’re hoping we can give back to them as well.”
Gatlin said she hopes the store will build a relationship with the surrounding community and with campus organizations by catering events.
Evanston resident Kate Delaney said she often has to bring dessert to people’s homes or to school functions for her children and that the cookie delivery service will be great in catering those.
Delaney said she is excited to try the cookies, though she frequents Tag’s Bakery on Central Street and Bennison’s Bakery on Davis Street.
“Hopefully, the location Insomnia is doesn’t directly take away from those businesses,” she said. “The different hours opens up a whole new market for (Insomnia).”
Weinberg freshman Lexi Schiff said she and her friends ordered cookies from Insomnia on Sunday night and had them delivered to Elder Hall.
Schiff said the cookies were “delicious and warm” and that it’s “nice” to be able to get fresh cookies quickly delivered to one’s dorm.
“(Insomnia) will become more like the late-night culture that Cheesie’s has, where people order it at night or try to go there after anything they do at night,” she said. “It’ll become a new hotspot.”
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Twitter: @AmeliaLangas