It’s the unfortunate reality that every college student must face at some point: you can’t bring your grandma with you to school. Of all the sad things this entails, perhaps missing her homemade baked goods is the worst of all. But luckily for you, Insomnia Cookies just opened in downtown West Chester and is ready to serve you some warm treats made with love.
Insomnia Cookies is located on 142 W. Gay Street and opened last month. As a testament to the brilliance of (hungry) college students, the idea for a late night cookie delivery service was first cooked up in a University of Pennsylvania dormitory in 2003. Since then, business has exploded and Insomnia Cookies currently operates 100 stores, with the West Chester store as one of nine in the Philadelphia region.
Upon entering through the purple doors, the smell of fresh-baked goodness hits you full force. The décor resembles a swanky millennial-owned apartment in Center City: light grey faux wood floors, an exposed brick wall and open ductwork. Insomnia Cookies primarily specializes in cookies and boasts quite the selection. Ranging from sugar to triple chocolate chunk to their fall specialty, Pumpkin Spice, it has something for every sweet tooth. Large quantities of cookies are available for order and they also serve brownies and ice cream.
The store, which occupies the space formerly held by Olive Branch Tapas, is spacious, but relatively small. With only eight stools and two bar countertops it’s not ideal for large gatherings, however, it’s perfect for popping in with a few friends. That’s exactly what WCU freshmen Jenna Heron and Kaitlyn Matczack were up to when The Quad went to get the scoop on Insomnia Cookies. Heron had a “big craving for brownies” and Matczack’s stomach agreed. Both women ordered from the deluxe menu and were pleased with their cookies. “I like them, they’re warm,” Matczack said.
While it is a solid place to pick up a sweet treat, the price might force college students on a budget to dish out more dough than they would like. One traditional cookie costs $1.70 and a deluxe cookie costs $3.40. However, you can get a combo deal of two traditional cookies and one 14-ounce container of milk for $6.80.
One thing that sets Insomnia Cookies apart from the competition is the delivery service they offer. Insomnia Cookies will deliver an order of a minimum of $6.00 from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Late night cravings are now satisfied with only a few dollars and a few clicks. If you’d rather go the physical store and order, you’ll find that the employees of Insomnia Cookies are almost as good as the cookies themselves. Gleeful shouts of, “a pan of chocolate chip, please!” can be heard over the radio, which they sing along to. They also attest that the store has been extremely busy with people taking advantage of the late night delivery service.
Insomnia Cookies is located on 142 W. Gay Street and orders can be placed online.
Olivia Bortner is a third-year student studying marketing. She can be reached at OB876952@wcupa.edu or on Twitter @OliviaBortner.