“Best cookies in the world.”
Those were the first words I heard from two of the very first customers of the new Kiss Me Cookie shop at 15 East Main St. in the Village of Webster. (And only one of those customers knew the owner personally!)
That reaction has been common among the people who have discovered — or re-discovered — Kiss Me Cookie since the little bakery opened last Thursday just before the start of the Fireman’s Parade. Owner Jenelle Oliver worked feverishly for days to make enough of her gourmet cookies, cupcakes and other sweet delights to fill her display cases before the parade crowds descended. Her efforts did not go unnoticed; customers started queuing up as soon as she started tearing down the butcher block paper from the windows — even before she unlocked the door.
Many of those customers already know Kiss Me Cookie from when the bakery was located on Empire Blvd., in the little plaza across from Country Max. It wasn’t a great location. The shop was tucked back from the road, and foot traffic was pretty much non-existent. So after almost two years, Jenelle decided to make the move to her home town of Webster.
In addition to better visibility and foot traffic, the new, larger shop also offers lots more space for her thriving business.
“Business has grown exponentially in a short amount of time,” Jenelle said, thanks in large part to robust online orders, which have come from as far as California, Florida and Alaska. “With the additional space I have more room for my shipping operation.”
“I’m also participating in a lot of festivals and events, so I have more space to house all that kind of gear,” she added. Those events include this Saturday’s Pride Fest, and hopefully later this summer, the Webster Marching Band Food Truck Rodeo and the Irondequoit Arts and Music Festival. In the meantime, you can also find her cookies at Schutt’s Apple Mill, the Chai Guy on Park Ave., and both Rising Storm Brewery locations.
You might think there must be a whole team behind this kind of success. But it’s just Jenelle, one woman with a passion for baking. As she says on her Facebook page,
You’ll see a lot of small businesses say “we” in their posts. “WE are baking fresh daily.” “WE can’t wait to see you.” “WE love our customers.” But here’s the truth: There is no “we.” It’s just me. One woman. One oven. One vision. All heart.
I do the baking, the boxing, the cleaning, the crying, the marketing, the dreaming. And yes — every cookie, every detail, every bold-ass bite of it … is made with love. From me to you. Thanks for showing up for this one-woman show. It means the world to me.
So let’s support and welcome our newest small business. Stop into Kiss Me Cookie and experience for yourself the “best cookies in the world.” It’s located at 15 East Main (the former Mane St. Beauty Lounge), and is open Wednesday through Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 4 and Sunday 10 to 2. Check out her website here and Facebook page here.
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(posted 7/17/2025)
webster on the web 
Back when I was a ‘working stiff’, I had the privilege of working with a gentleman by the name of Harry Schoenmaker. Harry was nearly forty years my senior, a WW2 vet, former farmer, appliance repairman, jack of all trades, and true friend and gentleman. He was an astute observer of people and situations, and had a great deal of ‘common sense’, which, when you think about it is not all that common.
Watching the Second World War wind down, Harry made the surprising choice to train as a paratrooper. The majority of qualified paratroopers had been assigned to support the D-Day invasion, and reserves were depleted. Harry’s assessment was that training would last long enough for the war to end, and he was correct.
So, what’s this have to do with a wonderful cookie shop on Main Street? Harry’s wife was named Dorothy, and Harry’s nickname for her was ‘Cookie’. Nearly every morning someone would ask Harry if his Cookie gave him a cookie for lunch. Every time I see that sign, I smile. As a bonus – I have a unique option when invited to a family gathering, summer party, dinner, etc. Rather than bring yet another bottle of wine, bring cookies! And slip their business card in too, so the hostess knows from whence the treats were procured.
What a nice story and what a great idea for a hostess gift!