“A meme that was a dream became a reality,” co-founder Isaiah Kramer PZ ’20 describes his 5C student-run cookie delivery service, Claremont Cookies.
What started as a creative venture and is now a fully functioning company, Claremont Cookies has been delivering freshly-baked desserts to on-and-off-campus 5C students since April. This business was founded and is currently run by Kramer, along with Sam Horowitz PZ ’20, Roshni Patel PZ ’20, and Micah Sallus PZ ’20.
According to the founding staff, most people placing orders are initially skeptical about the legitimacy of Claremont Cookies since their business was notably advertised on the “Meme Queens of the 5Cs” Facebook page. In fact, many 5C students are surprised to hear a person on the receiving end of a phone call with the Claremont Cookies, Patel said. After placing an order, some people still doubt whether their order will ever be fulfilled, which only leads to heightened joy when the cookies are actually delivered, the founding team said.
At $1 a cookie, there are currently four flavors available, named after some of the 5Cs: “Pomona College (OG chocolate chip); Scripps College (Snickerdoodle: cinnamon, spice, and everything nice); CMC (Everyone’s favorite ‘sugar daddy’ cookie); and Harvey Mudd College (Double the graduation requirements! Double the chocolate!)” The staff noted that the Pomona cookie is the most common order, but they unanimously agreed that the Scripps cookie is their favorite.
While the group had already been friends well before their entrepreneurial initiative, Kramer and Horowitz originally theorized the concept. After frequenting Harvey Mudd’s Hoch-Shanahan Dining Commons, Kramer noted that he became the “cookie dealer for his whole floor” and began to take note about the demand for readily-available desserts at the 5Cs. Horowitz and Kramer then began attempting to make cookies in a trial-and-error manner, until Patel stepped in to help with the baking process. Sallus joined the team after spontaneously stopping by the Pitzer’s Shakedown Café during their first night of operation and subsequently became a key member of the group.
Claremont Cookies orders are placed via their official website or the phone number shared among the four team members. Horowitz is responsible for taking orders, while Patel is in charge of baking the cookies. Both Sallus and Kramer finally deliver the deserts to 5C students. Kramer usually bikes to different parts of the 5Cs, and Sallus drives his car to provide desserts off-campus.
Claremont Cookies operates through Pitzer’s Shakedown Cafe, which has allowed the staff to operate in a professional kitchen. The business is considered an extension of the Shakedown, and has to function at times that do not conflict with the cafe’s normal business hours. Claremont Cookie orders take an estimated 15 minutes to be delivered after the initial request, depending on students’ locations and the level of demand at different times.
Even though the staff has dedicated many late nights to jumpstarting its company, the founders admitted that they have yet to officially launch the business. The four-person Claremont Cookies team plans to hire more people in order to progress as an enterprise. Along with expanding the number of employees, they intend to add gluten-free “Pitzer” cookies, whoopie pies, and ice cream sandwiches to their menu.
Next time you reach for a microwavable noodle pack to fulfill your late-night hunger, know that’s not the way the cookie has to crumble; there are other options. Opt for the embrace of a delectable, freshly-made, and promptly-delivered treat: a craving only Claremont Cookies can satisfy.
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