OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Starting from scratch 13 years ago, Shari Weyrauch, a former Chiefs cheerleader, created a cutting-edge cookie business.
“You have to get the concept, make all the dough, get it ready, get it rolled out, chilled and ready to cut,” said Weyrauch, owner of Smart Cookies Bakery.
For a small business owner running Smart Cookies Bakery in the basement of her home, Shari says the cookie sales definitely crumbled during the pandemic.
“Corporate sales plummeted because all of the offices closed,” Weyrauch said. "Three years ago, I would just have a box of cookies, but now they are wanting each cookie individually packaged. But I have to charge for that because I have to pay for that, and people don’t want to pay that extra price."
However, during football season, sales remained steady as customers couldn’t get enough of her Chiefs-themed sweet treats.
"I have increased about 5% as far as like Chiefs sales, but overall I’m probably about even,” Weyrauch said.
She tells KSHB 41 News she has seen an even bigger jump in sales during this year's playoff season.
“Last year people were still really timid, and now people are vaccinated, or people are over it. People are just like, 'You know what, we are going to just go ahead and have a party,'” Weyrauch said.
Hopeful for another Chiefs win Sunday, Weyrauch isn’t sugarcoating when she says she’s got cookies hot and ready to go.
“I have dough ready to go and waiting on tomorrow," Weyrauch said. "If we find out of we have another victory, then I’ll be making more cookies come Monday, and I’ll get those stocked up here for the next watch party."
