Temecula's 1st Crumbl Cookies To Open In April: Meet Franchise Owner

Temecula CA

04 April, 2022

4:53 PM

Description

TEMECULA, CA — Southern California resident and new Crumbl Cookies franchise owner Matt Liebengood is looking forward to feeding Temecula residents some amazing cookies. As residents anticipate the launch of the Baron's Shopping Center store, there is more work to be done. Still, hard work and staying the course is something he is best at. Though the corporate offices of Crumbl Cookies announced the grand opening of the Temeku Hills location in April, Liebengood has yet to share an actual date. Just like those freshly baked cookies, the best things in life take a little bit of time. "We're about 70 percent of the way there," he told Patch one week ago in a recent phone interview. Now, he's hired management and expects to have employees onboarding soon. Liebengood is an Army veteran and Southern California native with a strong work ethic. A family man, he has always wanted to get involved in the community as an entrepreneur and Crumbl Cookies "was the perfect brand to do that," he told Patch. Temecula residents couldn't be happier. With only one other Southwest Riverside Crumbl Cookies open location in Menifee, Temecula residents are known to get in the car and drive to pick up a box for special occasions. Now, the sign is up and construction crews daily at the Baron's Shopping Center on Meadows Parkway and Rancho California Road. Liebengood first learned about the specialized bakery business through his wife's best friend from Phoenix, who brought them their first box. They were instantly hooked on the delicious concoctions. "Every time we'd see her, we wanted to have her bring cookies," he said, so much so, that they began investigating what it would take to launch their own franchise. Crumbl Cookies, which considers itself a "cookie tech company," is a relatively new operation that has grown through word-of-mouth and social media advertising. Each week, they share which flavors the franchises will bake, each cookie with subtle differences that keep fans coming back for more. The bakery was founded by cousins Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley out of Orem, Utah. They created what the pair dubbed "the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe." That grew into a weekly, rotating menu that is never the same. According to their website over 300 Crumbl Cookies bakeries are open in 36 states. "Both Jason and Sawyer are creative, hard-working, solid business people," Liebengood said. "They are geniuses and their monthly franchise calls are inspiring." Liberty in entrepreneurship, community involvement, and working with families is why they wanted to open a family-focused business. Providing delicious cookies in traditional pink bakery boxes was a pure bonus. As a family man, he's looking forward to working in a joy-filled, family-oriented business. Liebengood hired a local contractor, CWF Inc.'s Jim LaRue, to oversee the process of building and has worked with local members of the financial business community to keep things on target. Their original love of Crumbl Cookies has grown into a respect for the leaders who founded the franchise. He found a connection with the company and its core values and knew this is what Temecula needed. "It's the perfect franchise for a new franchisee who believes in the same values, most about respect for yourself, our community, our customers, and our employees," he said. When the Temeku Hills Crumbl Cookies opens, he plans to harness those same values, sharing not amazing cookies but those intangible values. "We have received many applications from prospective employees interested in working at the Temeku Hills, Crumbl Cookies location," he finds encouraging. Some prospective employees have shared personal notes about experiences with Crumbl Cookies or baking with their family that resonated with the owners. "We have received many interesting notes from candidates," he said. All prospective employees "believe in the company and think it looks like a fun place to work. And it will be!" There are still things to do and hurdles to cross before the grand opening of this location. "Considering this is our first location, working with local government, the SBA, and Crumbl Cookie's expert onboarding team has really made this a seamless process. They have done an extraordinary job establishing relationships with vendors and creating an amazing brand in the process. However, the most encouraging aspect that got us here is the knowledge and support from SBA VBOC (US small business veteran's business outreach center San Diego Offices—this would not have been possible without them. And I recommend them for all veterans considering going into business for themselves." Regarding local government in Temecula and riverside county, the city officials have been responsive, and they are knowledgeable and helpful," he said. According to the City of Temecula's Economic Development Manager, Christine Damko, the business is in process and is "close to opening." They are just "working on their last inspections and improvements." As for the Liebengood family, they are looking forward to working with many local businesses and community outlets. "We understand that it takes a village to run a business," he said," and that is a value that we believe in."