Philadelphia-based Insomnia Cookies opened its 58th store, the first in St. Louis, at 226 N. Euclid in October. A second St. Louis location is planned for the Delmar Loop sometime in the near future. Insomnia Cookies, a late-night bakery concept (freshly-baked cookies are delivered until 3 a.m.), was founded in a college dorm room at the University of Pennsylvania in 2003.
The bakery's daytime manager Celia Bourrage, above, explained that Insomnia Cookies targets college kids and "late-night crawlers" for its fresh-from-the-oven products. The Euclid location was chosen as it's midway between the campuses of S.L.U. and W. U., and fits Insomnia's late hours and delivery area (3-mile radius) perfectly.
It's always fun to interview someone who is as excited about her job, as Celia is. While we were chatting, she kept her eye on the ovens in the back. She also apologized for being photographed in a flour-speckled shirt, which is completely understandable for someone who bakes a fresh batch of cookies every 35 to 40 minutes. Cookie varieties, shown above, range in price from $1.35 for a regular cookie to $2.75 for a Deluxe version, shown in back row.
The cookies are irresistible. While I had every intention of sharing the warm peanut butter and chocolate chunk I walked out with, it didn't quite work out that way. You'll understand when you stop in.
Specialty items include a 9" cookie cake that feeds four to six, $17, cookiewich and brownie a la mode, $5, and of course, milk. The shop carries Prairie Farms ice cream in flavors such as Turtle Tracks, Cookie Dough, and Birthday Cake, prices shown above (click on photo to enlarge).
Celia said that the bakery has had a brisk business delivering its products from the day it opened, word has spread from location to location throughout the country. Minimum orders are $6 (plus tip). To order, contact Insomnia Cookies via Twitter (@insomniacookies), Facebook, Instagram, or (877) 63Cookie. For those who may at one time have fit the "night crawler" category, and therefore might expect a shop to have a local phone number, forget it…social media's the thing.
Insomnia Cookies, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday, 226 N. Euclid.