We had the good fortune of connecting with Cindy Kruse and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cindy, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I love the restaurant business. I have worked in this industry my whole career, beginning in 1992. There have been many great moments, but also many many tough years of paying dues. After twenty years of working for other people, I felt it was time to not only do my own thing. “I had a dream, and finally the courage to go for it!” The year was 2012.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Cindy Lou’s Cookies is an all-American Bakery, specializing in giant, seriously delicious cookies, amongst many other American classic sweets. Our mission is simply to “make this world a little sweeter, one cookie at a time”. We have been open for three years in the Little River district in Miami. We are different from everybody else because we are not only selling a product, but an experience. Let me explain- it’s not just about a great cookie or the personal service; when people bite into our cookies, we want them to be transported back to when they were 10 years old! That joy, that happiness, that excitement of knowing how that cookie is going to make you feel- that is what I mean by an experience. So many people have said that this is how they feel about us and that makes me really excited! Starting this business from scratch has been a tremendous challenge. From building the place to keeping it alive through this pandemic, it has been really tough! I am so proud of the way the shop turned out- the smell inside, the happy faces, the nostalgia it brings, on and on- it is exactly what I pictured it would be when it was only a dream.

It is what I always wanted, and for that, I am the proudest!

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
To be honest, I don’t go out much. I am always at work and that is where most of my fun happens. I do however love checking out the exciting dining scene in Miami and love going out to dinner. I love the Wynwood and Design District area as I can walk around and enjoy the scenery. Some of my favorite dinner spots are KYU and Crudos Fusion, both in Wynwood. For lunch I love the healthy and fresh food from Pura Vida, which has various locations. One of my favorite brunch spots is Bachour in Coral Gables. The food is almost too beautiful to eat. As for places to check out, I would definitely give my friend a tour of all my favorite pastry places throughout the city – SaraLu Confections, D Bakers, Bachour, Azucar Ice cream, Exquisito Chocolate Factory, to name a few.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I am going to dedicate my shoutout to all those people out there, like me, that have a dream and are working so hard to not only make that dream come true, but to keep the dream alive. Whether it’s to make this world better, sweeter, safer, please keep going! Final shoutout to Eric Paige who inspires me everyday!

Website: cindylouscookies.com
Instagram: cindylouscookies
Twitter: cindylouscookie
Yelp: Cindy Lou’s Cookies

Image Credits
garydrj.photog (gary James, photographer)

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