CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Kookie's in Chesapeake is a one-stop shop for pretty much all your sweet tooth cravings, but it started in an unconventional way.
Diane "Kookie" Brown was working a full-time desk job and watching shows like Cupcake Wars from home. Her husband, Anthony Brown, thought getting her some baking classes for her birthday would be funny.
"I think it was more of a gag gift," Kookie laughed, "Joke's on him."
Kookie started a side hustle creating custom cakes out of her home kitchen. It started small with friends and family orders, but her customer count grew. Then, Kookie was laid off from her full-time desk job.
"It all worked in my favor because I never stopped working. Even though I was laid off, I never stopped working," she said. Kookie ended up having almost 300 regular customers, and that's when she knew it was time to open a storefront.
Kookie's Cakes, Shakes, and Gifts first opened in Norfolk but closed that location and moved to Chesapeake to be closer to their Western Branch home.
"We've expanded from custom cakes to cupcakes, cookies, milkshakes, funnel cakes, ice cream," said Anthony. "If you're more of an ice cream lover, I would go with an Extreme Shake," Kookie added.
Their menu is for the ultimate sweet tooth in the family. It is all so delicious and so fresh. They make their funnel cakes and cookies in different flavors.
"We have caramel apple, maple bacon, red velvet strawberry," Anthony listed the options. He also explained that they serve about eighty flavors of cupcakes, which change daily.
They serve all the classics but with an elevated twist.
At Kookies, it's not just dessert. It's an experience. "Where can you go and get funnel cakes and ice creams, and cupcakes and cookies all in one space? There's no one like us," Kookie smiled.
Kookie's Cakes, Shakes, and Gifts is located at 4300 Portsmouth Blvd #236, Chesapeake, VA 23321.