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Five years ago, cookies were a side hustle for Theodore Gailas and Peter Phillips. Now, with more than a baker’s dozen cookie shops open and more on the front burner, the sugary treats are serious business.
“We had this small little space [in Astoria]… and it kind of just grew into this project where we were creating these fun nostalgic flavors,” said Gailas, one of Chip City’s two founders. “And as we were opening on the weekends just for a few hours a day, we had these lines down the block. People were waiting up to an hour to get in and get some cookies.
“Slowly but surely it evolved. We started opening full time and it basically became our full time occupation,” he added.
On Sept. 9, the duo unveiled their Garden City Chip City at 951 Franklin Ave., one of 14 locations where their dessert-crazed following can stock up on sweets.
“Garden City has a lot of families and community-based events that we feel are in line with Chip City cookies,” Gailas said. “All our locations around the boroughs attract families. As we were canvasing the Long Island area, it seemed like a perfect fit to go there on Franklin Avenue.”
The new cookie shop rotates through 18 flavors, and customers choose from those that make the weekly menu cut. The roster can include classic chocolate chip, oatmeal apple pie, blueberry cheesecake, peanut butter and jelly, triple chocolate and Gailas’ personal favorite, the Nutella sea salt.
“It’s one of our filler cookies, which is somewhat of our specialty,” Gailas said. “We have a good amount of flavors, but there’s a select few that have a filling inside and that’s my favorite. It’s got chopped hazelnuts and Nutella filling — and it’s got that sweet and savory combination that I really like.”
Other stuffed cookie options include the coconut pineapple cream-filled Piña Colada and the cream cheese loaded everything cookie, which comes topped with everything bagel seasoning.
In the shop, many customers opt for a box of a half-dozen cookies, a package that weighs nearly two pounds. Uber Eats ships the treats across the continental United States.
Next year, Gailas said, Long Island’s third Chip City will likely open in Babylon.
“The team is constantly looking for more locations,” he said. “There’s nothing signed yet, but for sure there’s going to be more sprinkled throughout Long Island.”
