Something Sweeter on Ridge!

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Famous 4th Street Cookies is set to open a bakery on the site of the old liquor store on Ridge Avenue.EastFallsLocal resize liquor store ridge ave 8x10 logo

3-2-16 UPDATE:  See Newsworks’ recent article for more info!

We hate to see a good liquor store go, but dealing with the loss is a whole lot easier with a delicious cookie (or six). And, according to a Philly.com Insider article, we’ll soon have lots of varieties to choose from on Ridge Avenue when the Famous 4th Street Cookie Company opens a bakery at the site of the old liquor store.
EastFallsLocal collage cookiues

Famous 4th isn’t just any cookie shop, it’s been a fixture in Reading Terminal Market for decades and goes back to the 80s, when former owners David and Janie Auspitz started baking cookies in the deli David’s father opened in 1933 at 4th and Bainbridge Streets.

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Since then, Famous 4th cookies have been featured in Every Day with Rachael Ray and Philadelphia Magazine. To give you a hint of what you’re dealing with, the shop is known as Cookie Heaven and they’ve expanded to 12 varieties!

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The new owners of Famous 4th, Brian Phillips and Michael Untermeyer, say they plan to do little to change what both men call a Philadelphia institution (they’ll retain the services of David Auspitz for two years as a consultant). They’ll keep the stand at Reading Terminal and focus on building up the online and mail-order business.

Brian Phillips, now owner and operator of the Copabanana location in University City, started in the food business nearly four decades ago as a kid working at 12th Street Cantina.

Untermeyer, once referred to by Mayor Frank Rizzo as “one tough cookie,” was an assistant district attorney under Lynne M. Abraham. “Now, it’s one delicious cookie,” he said with a smile. He’s pleased to be selling cookies because “it gives people joy and pleasure,” which is hard to come by in his other business, real estate.

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Gina Snyder, Executive Director of the East Falls Development Corporation, is “excited by a new and delicious business on Ridge Avenue. We’re glad to have found a first-rate business for the old liquor store site and have already begun partnering with the new owners to improve the façade of the building, which is a top priority.”

Although she doesn’t have an exact date for the opening, Gina’s gotten plenty of messages from friends wondering when they can start buying cookies. “People are psyched about this. Me too – how can you not be psyched about cookies?”

Agreed:

7 Comments

    • Yes, just checked with Gina Snyder who says Mike Untermeyer told her they do intend to sell cookies from this location as well as bake them here.

  1. YES! This is great news, not just in general cookie news (always welcome) – but for our town. Businesses like this are what Ridge needs to keep things vibrant and energetic.

  2. This is great news! I agree that businesses like this will help reinvigorate Ridge Ave retail. Now if we could just get a killer coffeehouse… 🙂

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