August 12, 2021
At the Detroit Regional Chamber’s 2021 Detroit Policy Conference, the perseverance and future of small businesses in the region was a leading topic. Many local business owners shared how they strategically navigated the challenges of the pandemic and what they project for the future of local small businesses. Small business vendors also showcased their products at the Detroit Small Business Street exhibit and shared their stories with the Chamber.
Many of the small businesses interviewed were Black-owned, and in recognition of National Black Business Month, the Chamber is sharing a series of blog posts to learn more about each business.
The founder of Good Cookies, Jeffrey C. Gisstennar, spoke with the Chamber at the Conference. Good Cookies is a Black-owned cookie shop in Detroit’s North Rosedale Park, about three minutes from the Norwest Gallery of Arts.
Gisstennar shared that he’s been an entrepreneur for over 32 years, but Good Cookies is his most recent venture. He first opened the cookie shop in 2013 and ran it out of his home kitchen. On June 18, he transitioned the business to a brick-and-mortar shop on Six Mile Road in Detroit.
The shop is located at 19007 W. McNichols in Detroit and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Customers can walk in to pick up freshly baked cookies instead of ordering online, but ordering online and picking up at the shop is still an option.
Expanding Good Cookies into a brick-and-mortar shop was a big step for Gisstennar, but it was not the only thing that’s evolved for his small business over the years. Gisstennar shared he is constantly working to improve his freshly baked cookies, too.
“I’ve changed most of my cookies [recipes] at least four, five times. I try to use the best ingredients I can get…the best butters, vanillas, flours. It’s important for me to make it without any preservatives or additives,” Gisstennar said.
This constant innovation and desire to create the best has paid off for his small business, particularly when it comes to earning a good reputation among customers. Gisstennar frequently receives compliments, especially from neighborhood seniors.
“When folks come in the shop now, they can smell cookies baking. [And] when you hear a senior come in and say, ‘Wow, this smells like my mom’s cooking,’ to me, that’s the biggest compliment. I try to put as much love into it as I can,” Gisstennar said.
For those who may not have a craving for freshly baked cookies but still want to explore the North Rosedale neighborhood in Detroit, Gisstennar invites them to still stop by Good Cookies. They can enjoy the Wi-Fi-connected café that plays music and provides Great Lakes coffee, Harney & Sons tea, and soft drinks.
In the future, they will also be able to enjoy the outdoor space that Good Cookies is in the process of developing so customers and other small business owners in the neighborhood can enjoy the shop and café all summer.
The neighboring business owners that will enjoy the space are most likely the same ones who Gisstennar said welcomed and supported him during the grand opening of Good Cookies on June 18.
“At my shop’s grand opening, I can’t tell you how many other small businesses up and down the Six Mile corridor that said, ‘Hey, I have a business down there,’ and just came in and bought a bunch of cookies. I love that they want to support and that we take care of each other. I’m just so happy to be a part of that community,” Gisstennar said.
You can keep up with Good Cookies on their website, Facebook and Instagram. Watch a full interview with Good Cookies here.
Written by Krishaun Burns, Let’s Detroit
