In this article
- What is the origin story of Chip City?
- What do you believe sets Chip City apart from the pack?
- Did you imagine Chip City becoming a viral smash hit from the beginning?
- Is there a secret behind why your shops smell so incredible?
- How has working with Goldbelly affected your business?
- What’s on the Chip City Menu?
THE CO-FOUNDER OF NYC’S OOEY GOOEY VIRAL SENSATION
If you’ve found yourself walking down the street in recent years and were suddenly overcome by the intoxicating scent of fresh-baked cookies, odds are you were walking by a Chip City. Since its founding in New York City in 2017, the cookie shop has opened three dozen locations in a handful of Eastern states, with many more in the works. It’s become beloved for its lineup of fresh-baked, ooey-gooey cookies, which are served still warm from the oven. And good news: Chip City is shipping nationwide on Goldbelly!
We had the opportunity to chat via email with Theodore Gailas, who co-founded Chip City with his friend Peter Philips. This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
What is the origin story of Chip City?
Chip City was founded in 2017 in Astoria, Queens, with the mission to make the best cookie in New York City. Chip City opened up with limited hours and immediately saw customers lining up around the block to get a taste. We built a following organically through our Instagram page, which grew very quickly as people started following us to find out when we would open next, and what new flavors we were about to release.
What do you believe sets Chip City apart from the pack?
At Chip City, we set ourselves apart with our commitment to quality. All our cookies are made from the finest quality ingredients, from our chocolate to our butter. All our cookies are baked fresh each day and we strive to introduce new flavors as often as possible so that we can delight our customers. Our rotating menu allows us to keep our fans excited and looking forward to their next visit. We integrate our branding into our business as often as possible and that can be seen in our fun, vibrant locations and extensive merch line which includes candles, mugs, tins, socks, and more.
We had very humble expectations opening our first shop. We thought that we would sell 100 cookies a day and we surpassed that within the first hour! After seeing the demand, we knew that we should open full-time and expand. Fast forward to 2024 and we are at 35 locations across 7 states and continuing to grow.
Is there a secret behind why your shops smell so incredible?
The first thing customers say when they walk in is “Wow, it smells great in here!” All our cookies are baked fresh daily, by highly trained bakers. We bake frequently throughout the day ensuring that there is always a fresh batch coming out of the oven. The aroma fills the stores and creeps out into the street, often luring in nearby pedestrians.
How has working with Goldbelly affected your business?
Social media has enabled people from around the world to follow us and enjoy our creations through the photos and videos that we post. With this nationwide following, we have discovered that there are many fans of our brand who eagerly anticipate our expansion to a location near them. For those who find themselves too far to visit a location, Goldbelly has allowed us to reach them with nationwide shipping.
What’s on the Chip City Menu?
We offer 9 varieties of cookies at any given time. Five of these are our best sellers: Chocolate Chip, Confetti, S’mores, Cookies n Cream, and Dairy Free Chocolate Chip. The other 4 flavors rotate every week and include seasonal flavors, our signature filled cookies, another Dairy Free variety, and new flavors.
We have a group of extremely unique flavors that we refer to as “Specialty Cookies” that we release for one day only every few weeks. These flavors include our popular Italian Rainbow Cookie, Baklava, Black and White, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Roll, Chocolate Cupcake, and Strawberry Shortcake. We often collaborate with other brands to create limited-edition flavors.
We have 35 locations across 7 states and we are continuing to expand. We have locations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Virginia, and Maryland. We are on track to have close to 60 locations opened by the end of 2024, with more locations added to the current states, as well as new markets such as Illinois and Pennsylvania.
