José Mari Perez says the smell of freshly baked, candy-filled cookies wafting through Union Station draws him in every time he visits Toronto.
On Canada Day, he got the chance to try the treats from the popular Toronto-based chain, Craig’s Cookies, at its new location in the ByWard Market on George Street.
“I’ve been to the shop in Toronto multiple times, and whenever I go and visit family, I take some back with me, and now I don’t have to go as far,” said the Ottawa resident while waiting in line with a few dozen others at the new spot’s grand opening on Tuesday.
For Craig Pike, originally from Newfoundland, who founded the business in 2013 as a side hustle out of his Toronto apartment, the blend of locals and tourists offered by the ByWard Market made it an appealing place for the colourful brand’s seventh corporate location.
The market has recently undergone a string of business closures. Craig’s Cookies’ new location is operating out of the old Quelque Chose Pâtisserie, which closed its doors in April. In an interview with the Ottawa Citizen, the dessert shop’s owner, David Seba, said the market had “lost its magic” for the business, which specializes in French macaroon cookies.
Quelque Chose Pâtisserie still has two locations in Ottawa: one in Vanier and one in Westboro.
Still, Pike said he’s confident that the market has the potential to continue bringing people together.
“There’s still a community here in ByWard Market that really excites me,” he said about his business’s expansion in an interview with Capital Current.
Craig’s Cookies offers more than 100 rotating flavours that range from classic to straight-up unconventional – think apple pie in a chocolate chip cookie. The base, though, is Pike’s mother’s Newfoundland cookie recipe.
The entrepreneur said Ottawa was the next logical spot for a retail outlet. There are also 12 franchises, including one in Newfoundland.
“We were looking at how to spread the word of Craig’s Cookies and the good vibes . . . outside of southwestern Ontario, and Ottawa was instinctually the first place we wanted to go to,” he said.
Pike said he didn’t intend to build a cookie empire when he began delivering cookies to his friends by bike around Toronto during the brand’s early days.
“When I started the business, I had no expectations. And I’ve always been somebody who is a ‘yes, and’ person. As more people wanted cookies, I just kept saying yes,” he said.
Along with often colourful cookie flavours, Ottawa customers may notice an ode to the Queer community on every box of cookies they purchase from the new shop: A heart shaped rainbow sticker.
Pike said he works to emulate the values of Pride through his business.
“As a member of the Queer community… most of our decisions that we make are steeped in the ethos of what it means to be your authentic self, acceptance, kindness, love,” he said.
“I think it’s really important to be able to be public about those values, as well – to be able to be a representative in the community.”
According to Pike, Ottawa customers can expect the chain’s special Pride Mix cookie flavours for Capital Pride, which takes place in August.
