Couple Seeks National Gourmet Cookie Franchise for Milwaukee
Proposal could revive vacant building north of Marquette campus.
1606 W. Walnut St. in December 2023. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Detra and Khalid Rodgers have big plans to bring a national chain to 16th and Walnut.
The couple hopes to open a Crumbl Cookies franchise in a vacant, city-owned building.
“We are really excited when we think about the area,” Detra told the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee Tuesday morning.
Crumbl is a rapidly growing, Utah-based cookie chain known for its oversized, gourmet cookies and rotating weekly menu. Founded in 2017, the company releases a new lineup of flavors each week, typically offering four to six varieties alongside its signature chocolate chip cookie. Crumbl operates primarily through takeout and delivery, with a minimalist store design that emphasizes open kitchens where customers can watch cookies being baked. The chain reports 1,105 locations.
There are no locations in the city, although there are locations in Oak Creek, Menomonee Falls, Glendale and other suburbs.
The business would be located just northwest of Downtown and just north of Marquette University. It’s also close to Interstate 43, which could prove vital for Khalid’s suggestion that the business does well with Door Dash and other delivery services.
Detra said the business would also contribute to a growing cluster. “What we are seeing is kind of a food hub come to life,” she said.
She said it would join 1700 Pull Up Restaurant and Favorites Restaurant & Lounge.
“We think this would be a great location to put a gourmet bakery,” she said.
Detra, a senior vice president with Associated Bank, said the couple has had two conversations with Crumbl. “We do not have a final franchise agreement,” she said, partially because controlling the property is a requirement.
The Rodgers are seeking approval to purchase the two-story, 2,436-square-foot building at 1606 W. Walnut St. The city acquired the building via property tax foreclosure in 2021.
“It would be a great addition to the area,” said area Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II.
It would be the second time the city has approved selling the building according to Dwayne Edwards, program manager with the Department of City Development. Stamper, II claimed it’s at least the fourth proposal he’s seen.
An earlier proposal to open a barbecue restaurant fell through because of a financing issue, said Edwards. The council approved selling the site for a video gaming center in 2024, but the plan never came to fruition.
The couple would pay the city’s asking price of $40,000 for the property. A DCD report estimates a total renovation cost of $500,000. Crumbl requires franchisees to have a liquid net worth of at least $200,000.
Edwards said securing the franchise is a condition of the sale, but the couple also has a DCD-endorsed plan to open a wellness center on the first level and a short-term rental upstairs.
Khalid is recently retired from AT&T, and Detra said the couple is looking for their next project. The couple previously owned His and Hers Beauty Supply on W. Fond du Lac Ave.
The committee unanimously endorsed the sale. The full council will consider the proposal next week.
W. Walnut Street was recently completely rebuilt in front of the building, with a protected bike lane, large sidewalk and substantial terrace replacing a traffic lane.
The building, constructed in 1886, has played host to a number of tenants, according to city directories and recent permitting records. It was home to multiple taverns, a bakery, meat store, Jim Dandy’s Pool Hall and Portia’s Steak House. It was occupied by A&V Financial approximately 12 years ago.
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