BRIGHTON — A growing cookie bakery with a hip-hop theme is expanding to new locations in Michigan, including in Brighton.

Cookie Plug founder Erik Martinez and others helped franchisee Ricky Hurd prepare the new location at 8593 W. Grand River Ave. on Tuesday by installing large, colorful, graffiti-inspired wall decals.

Hurd, of Howell, said he plans to open four locations in Michigan, beginning in Brighton. Locations are also planned in Ferndale and Harrison Township. The location will celebrate a grand opening Saturday with special promotions.

Martinez said the first Cookie Plug opened in 2019 in a small 10-by-6-foot shop in Riverside, California. He was already involved in the baking industry with “Bake It Easy,” a baking supplies firm. Martinez tried cookies from other cookie stores and thought he could “do better” and create a “more sustainable labor model.”

Now, there are about 50 locations across multiple states. Martinez said a whopping 327 locations are currently in development.

As a franchise location owner, Hurd is in good company. Grammy-winning hip-hop artist and actor LL Cool J has signed on for 60 locations in California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.

The bakery specializes in large, thick, moist cookies that shouldn’t crumble

Many have names inspired by hip-hop culture, like “Snooperdoodle” and an “O.G. Chocolate Chip.” There are 12 daily flavors and a rotating “secret stash” each month.

“I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s and I love hip-hop music,” Martinez said, adding the brand “caught fire” after a second location opened in Redlands, California, in November 2019.

“It went viral on TikTok and Instagram,” he said. “The stores are very Instagram-able.”

Hurd discovered the brand in Fort Myers, Florida.

“I saw a grand opening for Cookie Plug,” he said. “I tried the cookies, and they were fantastic, and then I called one of the guys in my (investment) group and told them about it. A few weeks later, we were flying out to Anaheim,” where the company is headquartered.

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He said the Brighton location “is going to be a fun environment.”

The bakery offers in-person shopping, pick-up orders, catering and delivery through third-party apps.

— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com. 

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Cookie Plug launches first Michigan location in Brighton