Give Mia Cookie

04/01/2020

During this unprecedented time it has been weighing so heavy on my heart that small business owners across this country are facing such difficult times. I truly believe that the heart of this country lies within small business and the tenacious and passionate people who run them. My heart goes out to you. In these past few weeks I have spent so much time thinking about if we still had the bakery and how challenging this would be. The struggle to try to do the right thing for your business and for your employees, for your customers and for your family...there is no one who holds the answers and I feel for you in having to make such difficult decisions. I just wanted you to know that I’m thinking about all of you and i hope that you find peace in whatever choices you are having to make. Stay strong and stay hopeful 💛 And to all of our former customers...we still miss you and hoping that you are staying safe 💛And to all medical workers everywhere....thank you for doing what you do every day 💛 -Katie

01/05/2020

Taking a moment to post today, on the 1 year anniversary of the bakery closing...to say hi and let you know how much we miss Give Mia Cookie and all of you! As a family I feel like we have finally found a new normal now a year later. Our life while owning the bakery was so far from normal that we really are enjoying the little things now...like Saturday morning breakfasts at home, clean car seats that aren’t covered in flour, and being able to watch a whole movie without falling asleep because we were just always so damn tired. That’s not to say that we don’t feel a void from not having the bakery....wow do I miss the excitement of it all...the challenge of a holiday season...or that feeling when we would beat a sales record on a big day....making a child smile with something so simple as a chocolate chip cookie and a lemonade play set....or being able to be a safe place and a confidant for our employees....that’s the kind of stuff that I really miss. Give Mia Cookie was such a remarkable experiment...it was such a simple concept that just worked. A tiny little building with so much heart and soul....producing a fresh product daily that made people smile. It had the support of a whole community and we turned around and used that support to make an impact and give back as much as we could. There wasn’t a single day that I didn’t appreciate what we had.
A year later after making the decision to walk away, I know it was the right choice. I thought I would regret not knowing what Give Mia Cookie could have grown to become, but it is exactly the opposite....I can reflect back and be so proud and grateful that it became what it did...it didn’t need to be more than that...it didn’t need to grow and expand. It was exactly what is was always meant to be. How lucky I feel to have had that. I have only ONE REGRET....I SO wish that I had enjoyed one last warm chocolate chip cookie on closing day last year. Wow, I miss those.
We sincerely hope that you are all doing well...it is so special to me that we were able to be a part of your lives. My biggest fear now is that our little shop will be forgotten..so please keep it in your hearts as I always will keep it in mine💛

06/09/2019

This probably isn't the post that you're all hoping to see 😕 We've made a family decision to NOT move forward with re-opening the bakery at this time. After months of going back and forth about the major investment it would be to start over in a new space, we decided not to do it at this time. I wish it was easier for everyone to understand our position... as most people think we're totally crazy deciding to walk away....but like I've said before there are so many factors that have to be considered and we've weighed them all. This isn't to say that Give Mia Cookie will never exist again....I think in the back of my mind it will always have a chance to make a comeback if all of the stars aligned. What we had was so so special....and we will never ever forget the years that we shared with you. I speak for our family and for our employees when I say thank you for supporting the place that we all loved so much. Give Mia Cookie has taught me so many life lessons and has given me a perspective about life and work that I will never lose. Thank you so very much.

On that note, we've decided to sell the bakery equipment that we currently have in storage. Everything that we have is in very good shape, was routinely professionally maintained, and CONSTANTLY cleaned. I'm not even kidding....our sinks look the same as the day that we bought them. The list includes: A John Boos wood top work table, Duke commercial oven, Hobart 20 Qt. mixer, our beautiful TurboAir refrigerated bakery display case, sinks, bakery racks, sheet pans, and so much more. If you know anyone who may be interested in some or all of the equipment, please tag them in this post and have them contact [email protected]. We will respond to you with a detailed list of what we have available and the prices that we are asking. Everything is located at a storage facility in Bethel Park and we can be available on evenings and weekends to meet there to show any items. This is honestly an amazing group of equipment for anyone who is starting a baking business or expanding from an in-home bakery! If you could be so kind to share this post I would appreciate it so much! Sharing is the only way that we will find the baker who is in need of these things!🍪

Again, thank you so much for everything....and I hope to see you around town! 💛

04/22/2019

“You never really leave a place you love...you take a part of it with you and leave a part of you there” 💛

04/19/2019

Easter used to be so full of life there 😥

04/10/2019

Today’s beautiful spring weather would have been a perfect day to wash the windows....that’s what I thought of when I drove by the old building this afternoon. Can they just tear it down already!?!? I hate driving by and seeing it every day. It’s hard to move forward when I’m staring at the past directly in the face 😑

03/08/2019

If you’re having difficulty selecting a fish fry for tonight....I just dropped off cookies for the Saint Valentines Church fish fry bake sale! Just sayin’! I’ll be baking cookies to donate to them every Friday during Lent 💛

02/27/2019

Putting all of these things into storage feels like a lifetime ago when in reality it’s been less than two months 😧. I will say that the hardest part so far was Valentine’s Day. I really missed the energy that came along with running a bakery during a sweet holiday. I missed seeing all of YOU! Since we have closed I will say that I’ve really had no trouble sleeping in! 🤪 I truly think that my body took weeks to recover from the years of lack of sleep and proper nutrition....it’s still a work in progress. Occasionally I wake up in a panic on Saturday mornings but it doesn’t take long to realize that I don’t have to be anywhere. It’s so strange. Ever since the bakery closed I have been trying to adjust to this new normal. We went on a vacation which really helped to clear my head, I’ve been helping Mia with her homework and science projects and school activities...I even volunteered to paint something for her school PTO! I’m sure everyone at the school was like “who is this lady I’ve never seen her here” 😂. I’ve been volunteering twice a week at an animal shelter which has given me so much purpose. I’ve gone to BP sporting events, I’ve taken Mia to tennis and piano practice...and I’ve even been going to the gym regularly 😳. I walk my dogs and snuggle with them whenever possible...I had really missed that. I’ve even bonded with my cat 🙀 I went out to breakfast with my retired parents, I’ve had lunch with friends, and I’ve even been able to watch Beverly Hills 90210 reruns on tv in the middle of the day. I cleaned out our garage and I’ve read 2 books and I’ve grocery shopped every week....and I’ve been COOKING DINNER. 😮 I feel like a completely different person. I can truthfully say that I do not have an update on the status of the future of Give Mia Cookie. I’m still dealing with the aftermath of closing at 5306 with bills and contracts and storage and everything else. It was much harder (and expensive!) to stop being in business than I thought it would be. We are still re-grouping as a family and want to make the best decision possible. Please know that I miss seeing ALL of you and that I think of the bakery every single minute of every day 💛

01/17/2019

I love when local businesses find a way to GIVE BACK! Mia is so excited to attend this fundraiser and get the chance to work on her basketball skills with Coach B! I know that a lot of you have kids in the middle of basketball season right now and this is such a fun way for them to get a fun workout in AND support this awesome charity... Reece's Rainbow! Go follow Maximum Hoops and contact Steve if you want information on his basketball player development camps and workouts! Hope to see you there!

Hoping you will attend this event on January 26 to support
Awesomely Raffle Items include:
$250 Maximum Hoops Gift Certificate
Pitt MBB & Pitt WBB Tickets
Free Night at Embassy Suites
8 Chic-Fil-A free meal coupons
Coffee Basket, Wine Basket, Beauty Basket
Amazon Echo Dot
Steelers Plush Blanket & Pillow
And Lots More!!!
Free 1 hr basketball workout grades 3-5 from 10am-11am, and grades 6-8 from 1pm-2pm!!! See you there!

01/16/2019

I said goodbye to the building today. Everything is moved out and it’s time to let go. This little building has been so special to me I can’t even really describe it well enough. I would go there when I needed to be alone to think, I would go there to be around my bakery kids and laugh so hard that it hurt. I got there most days before the sun came up and the quiet hum of the furnace was all I heard at the end of the night before I left. I watched so many of your kids play and grow up here...I watched Mia grow up here. I watched 6,264,219 cars turn around in our “no turn around” parking lot. Right outside the back door is where I had “talks” with employees. Inside the kitchen is where Mias art-work was always hanging. The bathroom was always. freezing. We knew the raccoons that lived in the bushes right outside, they love eggs. The floors in the kitchen would get so slippery from the flour. The corners of the walls have a million little dents from being hit with trays. There’s a big red icing stain on the wall that looks like a crime scene. We planted flowers and hung wreaths...I washed windows and windexed the doors constantly....I took so much pride in that place. It’s just funny how little things about a building become its personality...this building will be missed so much. We all signed the walls with fun memories and quotes from over the years...and I signed it right by the door when I left today. Thank you, 5306...for everything you’ve given me. 💛💛💛 @ Give Mia Cookie

01/10/2019

So thankful for this local franchise of Two Men and a Truck who moved us out in the bitter cold today. It was sad to see everything go out the door but knowing that they were doing the lifting was such a relief. And parents, tell your kids not to worry...the kids play area was the first thing that was safely put into storage! Thank you guys!!! Anyone who needs a mover, give them a call!!!

01/10/2019

What a beautiful day to move out 🥶🥶🥶