Employees at Crumbl Cookies, located in the Cottonwood Corners shopping center in northwest Albuquerque, gather cookie dough to make the store’s gourmet cookies on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. Owner Chase McFarland said the store’s interior layout is set up to where customers can see the entire process of how cookies are made. Matt Hollinshead photo.
ALBUQUERQUE — Crumbl Cookies emphasizes more than just serving its scrumptious gourmet cookies.
The interior of the new store, which launched in northwest Albuquerque’s Cottonwood Corners shopping center on Thursday, features an open-kitchen concept, where customers can see everything that goes into baking the cookies — from preparing cookie dough in the back to boxing cookies at the front counter.
“As you walk into the store, you can see every step in the process,” local franchise owner Chase McFarland said. “It’s a fun environment; it’s inviting.”
Crumbl Cookies started in Logan, Utah, in 2017 and has since evolved into 292 locations nationwide. McFarland said the Cottonwood location, at 10420 Coors Bypass NW, Suite 104-B, is the first New Mexico location.
McFarland, who’s originally from the Ogden, Utah, area but currently resides in Albuquerque, also said he hopes the store will attract customers from areas such as Rio Rancho because southbound Coors leads right to Cottonwood coming from Rio Rancho.
Aside from chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies, McFarland said Crumbl will feature four specialty cookies every week on a rotational basis. For example, he said this week’s flavors include key lime pie and midnight mint.
“Sometimes, we theme it with the seasons or with holidays coming up,” he said. “We just switch it out. It’s nice because the bakers can learn how to make new cookies, but it’s also fun for the customers because they can look forward to seeing what is coming up the next week.”
McFarland said the goal’s to have customers pick up a box of warm, freshly-made cookies every time.
“We are constantly baking, whether it’s 9 o’ clock in the morning or 9 o’ clock at night,” he said. “I could call it an ecosystem; it’s kind of complex, just making sure everything is fresh and warm all at the same time. So, we’re always on the go. There’s lot to check up on, lots to do.”
Crumbl Cookies employee Melissa Anderson prepares boxes for a cookie order on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. This store, located in the Cottonwood Corners shopping center in northwest Albuquerque, is the first New Mexico location for Crumbl Cookies, which originally started in Logan, Utah, in 2017 and has since expanded into 292 locations nationwide.
Matt Hollinshead photo.
Despite opening a bit behind schedule due to the national supply chain issues, McFarland said he’s glad to finally get operations rolling well before colder temperatures enter the area come Thanksgiving.
McFarland said Crumbl has 55 employees at the Cottonwood location, and that interest from job-seekers keeps growing. He said he received 60 to 70 résumés during the opening weekend alone.
“If we need more (employees) to make things more efficient, we’ll get more,” he said.
McFarland said he’s looking to fill about 15 positions, including a catering specialist.
He also said he plans to expand with two additional Albuquerque locations and a Santa Fe location, ideally within the next year and a half.
“We’re going to space it out pretty well throughout the rest of Albuquerque. That way, if you live in the northeast part or down in the southeast, you can still have access to a Crumbl,” he said.
Crumbl offers curbside pickup and delivery, as well as catering and in-store shopping.
For more information, visit crumblcookies.com.
