TINLEY PARK, IL — Derek Hincks has been working nonstop to open the doorways of his Tinley Park Crumbl Cookies location, and he is so near being prepared, he can nearly scent the cookies. … besides he cannot, as a result of they’re lacking one key piece of the puzzle: ovens.
Hincks mentioned it is a ready sport because of provide points with the ovens, however as soon as they’re in, he and his spouse are excited to get cookies baking, and shared with the group. Hincks, who owns one other Crumbl location in Indiana, has honed his enterprise and franchisee abilities and may’t wait to get began in Tinley Park.
Positioned at 15943A S. Harlem Ave., the realm’s latest Crumbl Cookies store is now set to open Jan. 6. Hincks, who has a 20-year background in enterprise and expertise in provide chain administration, all the time dreamt of proudly owning his personal firm, and Crumbl appeared like the appropriate match.
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“I’ve all the time needed to personal my very own firm,” he mentioned. “I need to personal a franchise. It’s a confirmed mannequin—so long as you’re operating what you are promoting nicely, you’ve gotten a better probability of being profitable.”
Hinck and his spouse Michelle had been born in and lived most of their lives in Utah. On the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hincks’ employer on the time minimize a big share of workers, and ultimately Hincks himself determined to hunt a brand new alternative. He moved Michelle and their two kids—a daughter, 10, and son, 12—in pursuit of a brand new place.
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“It’s time for a change,” Hincks mentioned. “We are able to transfer an hour, two hours away, but when we’re going to uproot our household, let’s broaden our horizons, and go anyplace.”
Inside a yr of the brand new job primarily based in Chicago, burnout hit Hincks, and he determined it was time to strive his hand at franchising.
“My spouse loves Crumbl Cookies,” he mentioned, of how he landed on Crumbl as the perfect alternative. “Completely loves it.”
She as soon as insisted he drive an hour whereas they had been on trip on the Wisconsin Dells, he mentioned, as a result of she’d heard they opened a Crumbl location in Wisconsin.
The timing was proper. Hinck and his spouse Michelle now stay in St. John, Indiana, and opened their first Crumbl location in July, at 819 Joliet St. in Dyer. in July 2022. Even earlier than opening their Tinley Park store, they’re additionally already eyeing a 3rd location, in Homewood.
They’ve realized loads of classes alongside the best way with their first location, a lot of which can carry over to their new location(s). As a part of Crumbl requirements, the treats are combined, rolled and baked in-house in an open kitchen and the cookies come as huge as your hand.
“It was a studying curve for us, we had been new to creating cookies,” he asaid. “Oh my God, it’s not simply making cookies. We make our cookies from flour, sugar, and butter, we make ‘em from scratch, our frosting we make from scratch. There are 2-3 processes for every cookie.”
They’ve additionally carried out an worker code of conduct, of kinds, at their Dyer location.
“We created an atmosphere the place folks love to return to work,” Hincks mentioned. “We created this code of conduct which is principally, ‘Be sort.’ There’s no foul language, no inappropriate jokes. If you’re in right here, be sort, have enjoyable, take pleasure in your self, and don’t fear, since you received’t be judged or picked on.”
Crumbl brings with its title a particular fashion and model. Every week, clients are greeted with a brand new menu of six cookies. The rotating menu all the time options the store’s signature milk chocolate chip and a variation on a calming sugar cookie. Relying on the day and season, the opposite cookies on the menu may embody flavors resembling churro, lemon glaze, birthday cake, sweet corn, macadamia nut, pink velvet, sea salt toffee or circus animal cookie.
On the menu every week is the chocolate chip cookie, with different flavors created and featured, some seasonally. Clients can place their orders on self-serve kiosks all through the shop or order forward on the Crumbl Cookies app. The app, which is obtainable on Google Play and within the Apple Retailer, additionally unveils every week’s cookie menu each Sunday night time, providing clients a sneak peek of what is in retailer. The app additionally provides cookies for supply.
Along with being within the baking enterprise, Hincks is happy to turn into engrained within the Tinley Park group. Throughout his time on the Dyer location, he and the enterprise have sponsored soccer groups and a highschool dance troop, in addition to held fundraisers for faculties. They’ve awarded cookies as prizes for a studying problem, too, for native schoolchildren. He hopes to hold over among the identical packages to the Tinley Park location. He’ll begin by visiting faculties, and fireplace and police departments—with free cookies in hand.
“We actually wish to be concerned locally,” Hincks mentioned, “and do what we will to assist the group.”
A grand opening celebration set for Jan. 6 will embody giveaways and different enjoyable options, he mentioned. They’ve pushed the opening whereas they await their ovens, but in addition to adjust to Crumbl’s company coverage that no shops open throughout the holidays.
However they’re simply as keen as native Crumbl followers to see these doorways swing open. The shop shall be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and eight a.m. to 12 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Sundays.
“We labored tirelessly making an attempt to get this factor accomplished, every part’s completed, it’s 100% completed, the shop seems to be nice,” he mentioned.
Based in 2017, Crumbl Cookies now has extra practically 700 shops all through over 40 states.
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