When you open the door to Insomnia Cookies, you are immediately met with the smell of freshly baked cookies and see the glass case stocked with different tubs of ice cream flavors. Behind the cash register, you can make out a fully-stocked fridge of different milks to pair with your cookies.
Insomnia Cookies opened a new location in Bala Cynwyd on the corner of 54th Street and City Avenue, directly across from Lannon Hall, on Nov. 6.
Orendael Miller, a marketing manager for the PA Support Center, said the Bala Cynwyd location allows the company to expand their customer audience to not only St. Joe’s students, but also the surrounding community.
“We do currently have several stores near that region, so it was a no brainer to make sure that we are offering cookies to pretty much all areas of the Philadelphia and [the] Philly suburbs market,” Miller said. “College students are pretty much our favored audience so we’re excited to be able to bring warm delicious cookies to a new school.”
Insomnia Cookies has close ties to Philadelphia and the college demographic, as it was founded by Seth Berkowitz in 2003 in his college dorm room at the University of Pennsylvania, according to the company’s website.
Other brick and mortar locations in the area include Manayunk, Bryn Mawr, University City and Temple University.
Camille Cipolloni ’23, a residential student on campus, said she and her roommates were excited when she found out that the Bala Cynwyd location was opening because it was so close to campus.
“We would always have to go to Manayunk or Bryn Mawr,” Cipolloni said. “I would say I’ve gone about three times since it opened. Since it is so close, we have ordered it for study breaks as a nice treat.”
Michael Foster, a baker and front counter worker at the Bala Cynwyd location, said there are many new customers at Bala Cynwyd since the opening.
“It’s been very popular amongst not only the students, but [also] the domestic residents that live here,” Foster said. “Not only with walk-ins, but we have delivery service and cater service so that’s been going really well.”
Insomnia Cookies is known for their door-to-door delivery service, which runs throughout the night from 10-3 a.m. on weekdays and noon to 3 a.m. on weekends, according to the company’s website.
Miller said that the company began to offer curbside pick-up as a safer alternative to retail purchases, in response to restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We wanted to make sure that we were staying ahead of the curve, and really taking as many precautions as possible,” Miller said. “We did begin to offer curbside pickup back in March so that we can limit customers inside of the stores.”
Insomnia Cookies is still open for retail purchases, in accordance with the guidelines and restrictions set in place by local counties, according to Miller.
“We monitor all counties, and all city restrictions that any of our stores are in to make sure that we are complying to the fullest degree,” Miller said.
Cipolloni said she loves to order from Insomnia Cookies because they are freshly baked and priced fairly.
“I am a cookie lover and ever since I tried their cookies, I have been obsessed with how gooey and warm they are when you get them,” Cipolloni said. “They also have great deals that I have tried. I think that being so close to a college, they know how to advertise in ways that will attract college students like me.”
