Insomnia Cookies replaces store with a new mobile truck

A truck that delivers and sells cookies, parked within walking distance, might sound unreal to IU cookie lovers. But that’s exactly what Insomnia Cookies is doing in Bloomington.

The store, which was located on 302 North Walnut St., has been closed for two weeks and is now running business from a truck.

The truck has the Insomnia Cookies logo on both sides and a flashing neon light indicating whether the truck is open or closed. The truck usually parks somewhere on Kirkwood, Assistant Manager Nacole Costanzo said.

Joe Essenfeld, chief officer of operation for Insomnia Cookies, said the decision to close the store was voluntary.

“A truck makes more sense in this location. Because our store wasn’t located on Kirkwood, we weren’t getting a lot of the business we wanted,” Essenfeld said.

Elaine Carpenter, the regional manager of the Bloomington store, said business is better now that Insomnia is in a truck.

“Mobile is better: We can be anywhere at any time. I believe most people that go to Kirkwood already know about the truck,” Carpenter said.

Costanzo said she was very excited about the truck. She said she has not had difficulty adjusting to selling and baking on the go.

“We are basically advertising and selling at the same time,” Costanzo said. “Sure, we have to adjust a little. Working out of a truck can be a little hectic, but our retail is definitely on the rise.”

When the truck is parked, a generator and propane tank operate the basic heating and baking functions the truck needs, said Rebecca Kish, an in-store baker.

Kish said she has been working for Insomnia since August of last year and encourages students to come try the cookies or order them online.

“If you order online, we offer you some very good incentives – for every three to four orders we give you coupons for free cookies sent in e-mails,” Kish said. “We will still be loyal to our customers even though we relocated to the truck.”

Trent Dyer, a delivery driver, said deliveries are still operating as usual, and that he was also excited about the truck’s potential.

“We are basically on campus,” Dyer said, “so being this close makes my delivery trips short and easy. Plus getting there faster always keeps our customers happy and loyal.”