~ Jon James
A small self-serve cookie stand tucked along an ATV trail in Maine has turned into an unexpected hot spot, thanks to one viral social media post.
Laura Pomerleau opened Cookie Jar of Maine at the end of her driveway three years ago. After recently leaving her full-time job, she expected to slow down and enjoy more free time. Instead, she’s spending 60 to 70 hours a week keeping up with demand.
What changed? A Facebook video promoting the stand’s 24-hour honor-system setup quickly took off online. Since then, customers have been showing up from across Maine—and even from other states—often buying out the day’s supply before long.
Pomerleau now sells more than 1,000 cookies each week from the stand, plus another 1,500 or more through local stores. Despite rising costs, she has kept her prices the same, offering oversized cookies for $4 each or three for $10.
She still makes every batch of dough herself. Although she recently upgraded to a commercial oven, she says it’s still a challenge to keep enough cookies on the shelves.
The stand has attracted visitors from hours away, including tourists from Alaska. To capture the growing interest, Pomerleau has started a guest journal where customers can write down where they traveled from.
She says the outpouring of support has been overwhelming, especially from longtime customers who have watched the business grow from the beginning, according to WABI TV.
Pomerleau updates the Cookie Jar of Maine Facebook page whenever the stand sells out for the day. And for anyone taking cookies home, she has one recommendation: warm them for a few seconds in the microwave and serve them with a scoop of ice cream.
I’ve had the cookies and they are BIG and DELICIOUS! Now, in the immortal words of Cookie Monster, ME WANT COOKIE!
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