From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — The Great American Cookie Company and Marble Slab Creamery located on Highway 11 in Trussville opened its doors to the public following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday morning.
The dessert shop is in the strip development where Metro Dinner, Taco Mama, Chicken Salad Chick, Orangetheory Fitness and Wrapsody are already established. Hours at the new location are 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday
Ben Smith, Chief Operating Officer of the Great American Cookie Company, said the “Cookies and Cream” co-brand stores model is new for the two companies, but he says they have seen success at other locations established over the past year.
“They’re doing very, very well,” said Smith. “It’s kind of the way of the future for us.”
Smith says Marble Slab Creamery, just like the Great American Cookie Company, makes products in-house.
“All of our products are fresh, homemade, baked or churned in the store,” said Smith. “The Marble Slab Creamery makes every single flavor of ice cream homemade, by hand, inside our actual store.”
Smith said the existing Great American Cookie Company in Trussville has seen a lot of support from the community and he believes that will continue at the new location.
“We are a large operation with 75 stores across the country,” said Smith. “But we love the Trussville community. We are a family-owned and operated business out of Birmingham and have been in operation in Alabama for over 100 years.”
The existing location in the Pinnacle Shopping Center will remain open, according to Smith.
“For us, Trussville is a great community,” said Smith. “What’s unique about these stores is they are a community gathering place.”
Operations have been impacted by the coronavirus. Smith said the store in Trussville was originally slated to open in early April, but because of the outbreak, the company had to delay opening while they put together a detailed safety and sanitation plan.
“It involves a lot of things we are doing behind the counter,” Smith explained. “Cleaning, regular sanitizing, handwashing, all of our employees must wear full-face masks, we are using new gloves for every transaction. We are also social distancing with our own employees but we also have signs on the floor measuring distance for people in line.”
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