By Heather Haase
Web Editor
The sugary aroma of freshly baked cookies enticed the line of students waiting to try the newest dessert spot near campus when Insomnia Cookies celebrated its grand opening in Campus Town on Monday, Jan. 22.
Insomnia Cookies opens at 9 a.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on weekends. The store is open until 3 a.m. every night, and offers delivery every day between 10 a.m. to closing.
The store offers a variety of cookies, as well as ice cream or a pint of milk. Some cookie flavors include chocolate chunk, sugar, oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodle and peanut butter cup. Insomnia Cookies also makes custom cookie cakes for special occasions.
On opening day, a few employees from Insomnia Cookies handed out an assortment of free cookies outside of the Brower Student Center to spread awareness of the business.
“I’m getting chocolate chip,” Vinny Guckin, a sophomore management major, said. “It’s basic, but it’s basic for a reason.”
Jackie Hankard, a sophomore communication studies major, remembers employees handing out Insomnia Cookies during freshman year at James Madison University. When she transferred to the College in the spring of 2017, she was thrilled to see the “coming soon” sign for Insomnia Cookies right next to her apartment in Campus Town.
“I came straight from dinner,” Hankard said. “My friends went inside to grab their coats, but I had to come straight here.”
Sam Moorzitz, a junior technology education major, said that Insomnia Cookies is a great addition to the College because of its late hours and delivery service.
“It will be good for late night studying,” Moorzitz said.
The idea for Insomnia Cookies began in 2003 in founder Seth Berkowitz’s dormitory at the University of Pennsylvania. Frustrated by the lack of options for sweets late at night, Berkowitz started baking cookies in his dorm. Word of Berkowitz’s cookies began to spread, and soon he was delivering warm cookies after sunset to students all across Penn’s campus, according to Insomnia Cookies’ website.
Soon after, Insomnia Cookies was born. Now, the franchise has over 100 locations across dozens of states, and serves as a nighttime destination for college students all across the country.
Maggie Zelinka, the marketing manager for Insomnia Cookies’ Campus Town location, said that the location of the College and the reputation of Campus Town drew Insomnia Cookies to open up shop there.
“Ewing stood out to us for many reasons,” Zelinka said. “Naturally, we appreciate the community feel of Ewing and decided to get in on the action.”
This is Insomnia Cookies’ second location in New Jersey, and Zelinka is glad to have chosen a spot near campus.
“We hope to fill a need for late-night sweets in Ewing, and are excited to begin this journey,” Zelinka said.
