Crumbl Cookies has fans nationwide and it's finally opening in RI. See what's on the menu.
EAST GREENWICH — Crumbl Cookies opened its first Rhode Island store at 1000 Division St., on Friday, Feb. 24. The national chain has many fans who have been waiting for a shop to open here and serve their huge cookies in pretty pink boxes.
In fact, having a fan in the house is how Crumbl store owners Beth and Paul Nardozzi came to be part of the franchise. It's the first food business for the East Greenwich couple.
Their journey to Crumbl started a year and a half ago, said Beth. Their daughter Grace, now 17, used to talk about Crumbl cookies, and her parents had no idea what they were. But Grace and her friends were following the company on social media, impressed by their fanciful cookies. As the Utah-based company expanded into New England in the last year, "Moms and Dads were driving all over so their kids could try the cookies," said Beth.
There are Crumbl Cookie shops in Attleboro, Plymouth, Medford and Woburn, Massachusetts, among the 500 nationwide in 40 states.
But it wasn't until the Nardozzis went on vacation to California last year that they tried their first Crumbl cookie. When they saw there was a store not far from them in Laguna Beach, they took a ride for Grace. They were smitten enough to secure a franchise. Their location in East Greenwich is in the plaza that also holds Dave's Marketplace and the Savory Grape.
Grace wasn't just the inspiration to bring Crumbl to Rhode Island; she will also work in the shop, said Beth. The team has trained a staff of 60 hires to work in the shop, which has extensive hours. They are open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. They are closed on Sunday.
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Their signature cookie is a warm chocolate chip cookie. But that's just the beginning. Crumbl has a rotation of 275 cookie varieties. Some of Crumbl’s specialty flavors include Cornbread, Cookies & Cream, S'mores, Key Lime Pie, Peppermint Bark, Caramel Popcorn, Buttermilk Pancake and Galaxy Brownie.
Each week, just six varieties are offered for sale. Crumbl announces the weekly cookies on social media each Sunday at 8 p.m.
In East Greenwich, customers can order in person during the two-week grand opening. Then, delivery and catering, as well as online ordering on the Crumbl app and online at Crumblcookies.com will be available. There are also two kiosks in the store where you can place an order.
All cookies are made from scratch daily in the store, said Beth. The dough is homemade on-site, not shipped from a commissary, she added. The cookies are sold individually ($4.78), in a box of four ($15.58) or the most popular choice of six ($23.78).
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Some varieties are offered warm, including the signature Milk Chocolate Chip. "They come right out of the oven and go into the warmer where they stay for two hours only," she said.
The chocolate chip is a weekly constant, as is the iced Classic Pink Sugar, which is served chilled to preserve its almond frosting.
The Nardozzi family has their favorites, including Cornbread and Peanut Butter and Jelly.
As franchise owners, the Nardozzis have the geographic area south of East Greenwich for future stores, but Beth said they have made no plans beyond the one store for now. She is a former schoolteacher, while her husband continues to work in finance.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Crumbl Cookies opens East Greenwich RI storefront. What's on the menu
