Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Capitol Hill-born Hello Robin stands as a testament to the sweet success of a community focus.

The 19th Ave E cookie shop will celebrate this weekend with a cookie making party co-hosted with its neighbor at Cone and Steiner, the throwback neighborhood grocery it debuted with on the newly redeveloped block back in 2013. Dani Cone’s Cone and Steiner has grown into a two-location grocery chain after its 19th Ave E start. Hello Robin has also grown. You can visit a sibling Hello Robin cookie shop at U Village.

At Hello Robin’s original 19th Ave E home, owner Robin Wehl recently took a trip down memory lane with CHS, sharing insights into the shop’s journey, community bonds, and her secret ingredients.

“I feel very, very lucky,” Wehl says with gratitude about how the shop has thrived and grown. The 19th Ave E neighborhood’s support has been a backbone of Hello Robin’s success. She recalled with joy the myriad of life events witnessed within the shop, from serving pregnant customers to seeing them return with their now 10-year-olds.

Hello Robin has evolved beyond being a cookie bakery; it’s a place where neighbors bond, forming friendships in the process. Wehl notes, “When neighbors see each other and connect, whether it be standing in line or sitting at the island, that gives me a very good feeling.”

Reflecting on the survival of cookies in a market filled with dessert trends that come and go, Wehl says the secret of a cookie is its basic connection to most everyone “Everybody wants a cookie,” Wehl said. “It’s not obscure or weird.” Hello Robin, being one of the first cookie shops in Seattle that wasn’t a corporate chain, filled a gap in the market, offering a familiar and universally loved treat.

The shop’s commitment to high-quality ingredients and a stable but diverse cookie selection has been a cornerstone of its success. Our sprinkles are all-natural, dyed with turmeric and beets…and made in Ballard,” Wehl said. “We use cage-free eggs and other high-quality ingredients. Those are some of the things that set us apart.”

With two stores and products available in 42 different grocery stores in Washington, Hello Robin’s growth has been no small feat. Wehl describes the challenges she faced along with her husband Clay Martin during the pandemic, including a three-month closure and the subsequent adaptation to window-only service. “I had to drive around to grocery stores to deliver and stock cookie dough myself, that was my least favorite part,” Wehl says.

Community support has been pivotal, and Hello Robin works hard to connect with local nonprofit organizations. “We donate to almost everyone who asks,” Wehl said. “I think next week we’re donating 500 to Plymouth Housing. We’ll never change that.”

As Hello Robin celebrates a decade of sweet success, Wehl attributes her and Clay’s hands-on involvement, a dedicated staff, and active community engagement as key ingredients to their thriving business. The shop’s commitment to quality, inclusivity, and a diverse range of cookie options has made it a beloved staple in the Capitol Hill neighborhood and now on shelves across the city.

“It has gone so quickly. It really has,” Wehl said. “And I still love my job. It’s still really good and very fun. I think the name has turned out to be really funny—a Seinfeld reference, a throwback to ‘Hello, Newman.’ People often come in and will be like, ‘Who’s Robin’ while some neighborhood kids will shout ‘Hello Robin!’ as they drive by in the neighborhood, It’s really funny.”

As Hello Robin continues to delight taste buds and build connections within the community, the next chapter promises more sweetness and shared moments for this beloved cookie shop. Just don’t try to get her to use old grapes in her cookies. Raisins don’t pass the flavor test at Hello Robin.

Hello Robin is located at 522 19th Ave E. Learn more at hellorobincookies.com.

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