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Insomnia Cookies opened a new location at 3730 Spruce St. on Oct. 4.
Credit: Isa Merriam
On Oct. 4, Insomnia Cookies opened a new location on Penn’s campus at 3730 Spruce St.
The grand opening marks the arrival of a third Insomnia in University City — the cookie company already maintains a storefront in Houston Hall and one at Drexel University — and 337th nationwide. The company highlighted its history with the commission of a mural across from the new location, showcasing two decades of growth for Insomnia.
This opening reflects 22 years of progress since 2004 College graduate and CEO Seth Berkowitz created Insomnia Cookies in 2003 in his Penn dorm room. The new location will serve Penn’s campus and surrounding neighborhoods until 1 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Customers will be able to order for pickup or delivery from the full menu, which includes an assortment of sweets and rotating limited-edition flavors. The company has also introduced products like its Cookies IN Ice Cream line, combining its classic cookies with ice cream flavors.
At its grand opening, Insomnia offered free classic cookies in-store or through delivery.
In a 2024 written statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Berkowitz reflected on the company’s origins at Penn, recalling how late-night gaming sessions led him to crave desserts. He explained that the idea of delivering warm cookies to students filled a gap in campus dining options and soon became the foundation for the company’s business model.
After a $150 investment in baking ingredients, Berkowitz spent his sophomore summer working to perfect recipes for classic cookies and brownies. Once back on campus, he dedicated his free time to delivering Insomnia Cookies from his off-campus apartment and curating the company’s website. He offered his classmates customizable and classic cookies, including Chocolate Chunk, Mint Chocolate, and M&M flavors.
In 2024, Berkowitz told the DP that, as the company continues to evolve, he remains committed to the values the brand is rooted in from two decades ago.
The new store comes alongside Insomnia’s push to expand nationally, with plans to expand to 1,500 stores in the next decade. The company, which already operates almost 340 bakeries across the United States, has targeted both urban centers and college towns for its expansion.
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