Local couple opening ‘the original gourmet cookie company’ in Ammon

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New cookie, soda shop opening in Ammon

Chip Cookies inside Hillcrest Plaza behind Dutch Bros Coffee in Ammon. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

AMMON – At age 33, Josh Sommers has already made his mark in the tech industry helping to turn a small cybersecurity startup into a large corporation.

But the Hamer man missed how it felt running a small business. That led him and his wife, Beth, to open a venture that resonated with both of them — Chip Cookies.

The couple is the first franchisee for the cookie and soda company on this side of the state. A store will open in Ammon at 2725 East Sunnyside Road inside Hillcrest Plaza on July 29.

The menu includes four original cookie flavors: OG (chocolate chip), Biscoff with white chocolate chips and Biscoff butter, sugar chip (which is a sugar cookie with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles), SW chip with semi-sweet chocolate wafers and sea salt, and a rotating flavor every week.

Customers have the option of adding ice cream as well.

While many competing companies offer similar products, Sommers tells EastIdahoNews.com it’s the company’s standards of quality that set it apart.

“Everything is made from scratch,” Sommers says. “A lot of other places do that as well, but many of them use cake mixes (to make their cookies). Everything we make is completely from scratch. The main reason why I invested in this franchise is because of that level of quality.”

He also points to the restaurant’s cookie bar, where customers can customize their order with previous fan favorites “any time they want rather than wait for them to come back next season.”

The fact that it’s locally owned is another point Sommers emphasizes about the Ammon business.

Chip Cookies is “the original gourmet cookie company” and led to the creation of other brands customers are familiar with, according to its website.

Founders Sean and Sarah (whose last names are not specified) formed the brand in 2016. It originated in Salt Lake City, and it all started with pregnancy cravings.

“Cravings for warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies in the middle of the night were a frequent occurrence. Instead of just baking cookies, Sean went to work on a business plan that would deliver warm, gourmet cookies directly to your door,” the website says.

sean and sarah copy — Chip Cookie founders Sean and Sarah with their young family. | Courtesy photo

Beth was enamored with the company’s environment and color schemes on her first visit. Josh is always up for a cookie, and the duo felt they had a winning combination for a joint business venture.

They’re excited to open the fourth location in the state, and Josh is planning to open a second store in the future.

“We’ve got the franchise rights for Rexburg as well. We’re planning to expand up there, and if everything goes well, then we’ll probably look to other places like Pocatello,” he says.

Chip Cookies will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.