In 1983, Gwen Willhite suddenly found herself an unemployed, single mother. With time to think, this creative and motivated woman combined two traditional gifts ~flowers and sweets~ and turned them into one deliciously clever concept, the cookie bouquet. Her edible bouquets of custom-shaped and hand-decorated sugar and cinnamon brown sugar cookies on sticks were cleverly arranged in baskets as tasteful gifts for any occasion.

Original Cookie Bouquet Image Gift-givers quickly embraced the new idea, and Gwen's budding enterprise soon outgrew her own home kitchen. The newly successful entrepreneur moved to a location in nearby, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Then in 1986 when things really picked up, Gwen moved her business to Dallas, Texas.

Gwen Willhite, Founder and CEO of Cookies by Design After the Dallas business was established, Gwen turned her attention to the numerous requests from others wishing to start their own Cookie Bouquet franchise. The first franchised Cookie Bouquet shoppe opened in 1987 and the momentum has been growing ever since. To better reflect all of the creative, unique and customized products sold, Cookie Bouquet shoppes changed their names to "Cookies by Design" in 2004. Now, almost 20 years later, approximately 240 Cookies by Design shoppes are operating in more than 218 cities across the United States.

As Cookies by Design expands across the nation, so, too, do the many ways in which people use cookie bouquets and other cookie gifts to share their thoughts and sentiments with others. An idea created years ago by one determined and creative woman now provides numerous opportunities today for others to create their own success.