Local Highlights

How the founders of a cookie shop grew a thriving business by burning the first batch

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Cookies are the great dessert equalizer that bring people of all backgrounds and generations together. In the mood for a simple sweet? Chocolate chip cookies are the way to go. Gluten-free or vegan? This delicacy can be easily altered to suit your dietary needs in a pinch. Hosting a large group? A platter of cookies is the best way to offer delicious variety to keep everyone happy. Having a bad day? Nothing can beat the smell of warm cookies straight out of the oven.

The idea of starting a ‘cookie company’ was first baked (pun intended) back in 2016 when Adam and Nick burnt their first batch of Toll House cookies. In their defense, those cookies were easier to burn than you’d think. Like the cookies, that idea was thrown in the trash.

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Fast forward to 2018, a few days after Adam was let go from his job in tech, he decided he was going to take a risk and open a cookie shop. He called Nick, told him his plan, and just like that they were on a path to bringing delicious cookies to Fort Lauderdale. The only problem was, neither Adam nor Nick knew how to bake. So how did two guys with absolutely no cookie or bakery experience open and grow a cookie shop in Flagler Village, FL? We chatted with Adam, co-founder of Batch, about his business ambitions and how he has been able to create a true community from selling freshly baked cookies.

Hi Adam! To start off, can you tell us a bit more about how you started a cookie shop from scratch (no pun intended)?

Absolutely! We realized through a very non-scientific survey that there’s a 50/50 chance of someone preferring ice cream or cookies, but most cities only have ice cream shops. With a passion for business and marketing but no cookie baking experience, Nick and I sourced out chef Max Santiago, who is also the sweets mastermind behind Sweet Alchemy Confectionary and The Salty Donut, to create the cookie dream team. I was able to focus on the business logistics, Nick took on all of our social media and marketing, and Max focused on making our cookies deliciously irresistible. Once we had all the components in place, we started with a pop-up and knew we had an instant hit. People waited over 3 hours to get cookies. We’ve slowly grown our customer base from there.

Thinking outside the box during COVID-19

Batch emphasizes the importance and joy of sharing cookies with people you love. However, when the COVID-19 restrictions hit Florida, the team had no idea how our customers would react. Our operations weren’t very efficient pre-COVID, so we were forced to reorganize day-to-day tasks and team to fit the new business landscape and demand. Our walk-up delivery window became our only point of contact-free pickups, and I had figured out how to mix cookie dough for the first time! Some good news for the business is that this past May was the best month we’ve ever seen. Our business is more efficient, online ordering is running smoother, and we plan on expanding our future stores to operate just out of a walk-up window to save on real estate costs. While this pandemic has definitely brought on plenty of challenges, it has forced us to be creative and think outside of the box.

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What’s your favorite part about running a business in Flagler Village?

“It might sound cheesy, but one of the things I love most about what we do is that we give people a small piece of happiness with every cookie. The smile and the joy that grown adults have when they try a freshly-baked cookie is something special.”

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Our customers are hands down my favorite part of running this business. There are a lot of ways to make money in this world, and I am so grateful that I get to operate a business that helps contribute a little bit of joy and happiness to the local community every day. 

We also love the entrepreneurial spirit of Flagler Village! Our shop is located in The Hive, which is home to a lot of local businesses and boutiques. Not only does this create a fun atmosphere for customers to come and shop, but we’ve also been able to cultivate a business community that supports one another through the ups and downs. To learn more about Batch and stay up to date on their delicious creations, check out their website or Instagram.

Want to learn more about Flagler Village? Check out our Ultimate Flagler Village Neighborhood Guide.

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