Think back, for a moment, to 1995. Cell phones were barely around. Social media did not exist. And yet retail bakeries operated across the country – from the hectic streets of New York City to sunny Southern California. Many flourished – Levain Bakery included. “Younger people now can’t imagine life without (social media),” reflects Connie McDonald, who created Levain Bakery in 1995 with her best friend Pam Weekes, out of their passion for food, friendship, and hard work.

“We were so focused on the immediate day to day that now it is amazing and gratifying to think back on what we have accomplished,” Pam says. “We have been more a part of people’s lives than we ever thought, and the people are what have made this so special.”

Adds Connie: “This has impacted my life more than I could have ever imagined. We are really fortunate that we are still best friends.”

Levain Bakery, a New York institution since its first opening, is celebrated for its massive, decadent cookies often hailed as the best in the world. Co-founders Weekes and McDonald met in the late 1980s as triathletes, bonding over their shared passion for baking during intense training sessions.

Diligently, they worked to build a business from scratch. By 2016, Levain Bakery had achieved such notoriety that they ranked among the top five retail bakeries in the country, according to Instagram.

Now this iconic bakery is celebrating life at 30.

Today, Levain Bakery has expanded to 16 locations, retaining its old-school charm and commitment to scratch baking. Their menu remains focused on timeless favorites like their legendary cookies and the best blueberry muffin you’ll ever taste.

Source: Mark Weinberg

The co-founders’ hands-on approach and thoughtful growth strategy reflect their unwavering dedication to creating premium baked goods and fostering a sense of neighborhood. Walk into any Levain Bakery, and you’ll still see dough being rolled by hand and feel the warmth of a business that’s as much about community as it is about cookies. And if you're lucky, you can still spot Pam and Connie working behind the counter.

“We have a lot of fun things planned throughout the year,” McDonald says.

In the beginning, McDonald pivoted her career to baking, training at Peter Kump’s cooking school and working as a bread baker for Anthony Bourdain, who enthusiastically supported the duo’s dream of opening a neighborhood-focused bakery.

They started with wholesale bread deliveries by bartering space in Bourdain’s kitchen and eventually opened their first shop on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where a serendipitous decision to bake their signature 6-ounce chocolate chip walnut cookies changed everything.

Those cookies sold out instantly, and a glowing New York Times review soon after propelled Levain into the national spotlight, leading to famously long lines and a growing demand for nationwide shipping.

Despite their success, the early years were grueling, with the two managing every aspect of the business on razor-thin margins. For nearly 24 years, they bootstrapped operations, juggling baking, retail, bookkeeping, and even mopping floors. It wasn’t until they carefully selected an executive team that they could scale the business while staying true to their vision of quality and community.

McDonald pauses to reflect. “From the start, I remember how happy we were to do what we are doing. Working with my best friend, I never really thought of it as work. I never would have imagined that we now have almost 20 locations.”

Adds Weekes: “We work with such an amazing group of people. That is what makes it so special.”

These best friends are so close they can finish each other’s sentences. Thus, the beauty of a successful bakery business is realized – and recognized. 

Enhancing production efficiency

Source: Mark Weinberg

On the production side, they have centralized some cookie dough production and added new rack ovens, “which are amazing,” the co-owners agree. They’ve added a new larger mixer that is delivering even better results.

“We have grown a bit, but our philosophy has not changed,” they agree. “We continue to donate leftovers at the end of every day.”

On the product development front, they continue to innovate with delicious new flavors and seasonal promotions. Earlier this year, Levain Bakery released a brand-new limited edition Coffee Toffee cookie for winter, made with rich notes of vanilla, espresso and caramelized chocolate-covered toffee.

This spring, Levain adds the Lemon Cookie to its seasonal lineup, back by popular demand after debuting in 2024. The soft, thick cookie is generously sprinkled with sweet yet slightly tart lemon chips, creating a zesty, citrusy fusion with just the right touch of sweetness! The Lemon Cookie joins Levain's Golden Days of Spring Assortment, a limited-time cookie bundle featuring the Lemon Cookie, Two Chip Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin, and Caramel Coconut Chocolate Chip—each crafted to embody the sweet, sunny flavors of the season (4, 8, or 12-packs available online for nationwide shipping).  “Now we have a series of seasonal cookies,” Weekes explains. “We have tried to keep things simple for so many reasons.” 

The Levain Way

Levain is the cookie to celebrate, to commemorate, to comfort, to console. Decadently crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle, its gooeyness cuts right to a cookie lover’s core. Flaky, moist and savory, it rises to the occasion.  The smell. The smile. The sweetness. The OMG moment of biting into a Levain cookie. You never forget your first — and you’ll always want another.

Levain is love. It’s quality. It’s craft.

Every cookie, loaf, scone and muffin is made by loving hands, with the best ingredients, and a lot of heart. Given time to chill, to rise, to proof, to set, every Levain pastry is a magical amalgam of flavors and textures to light up your senses and bring you joy.