A ‘Forever Fan’ from San Diego Brings NYC-Based Franchise to Her Hometown

It was love at first bite for Schmackary’s Cookies franchisee Sharian Lott. “My daughter, Loren Lott, was performing in a show on Broadway. It’s common for people to send the cast gifts of food, especially desserts, on special nights or in appreciation of a great performance. Loren is a very picky eater when it comes to sweets. She doesn’t even like chocolate! So when my daughter called me, screaming with delight about this Funfetti Cookie that I must try from someplace called Schmackary’s, it got my attention.”

And cookies are big business. Seriously big. Americans devour more than 2 billion cookies each year, according to The Cookie Elf website. The average American eats 35,000 cookies during his or her life, the website says, and more than 95% of U.S. households eat cookies.

First Stop: Schmackary’s Cookies

Certainly, Sharian Lott is serious about cookies. In the follow-up to her daughter’s rave review of Schmackary’s, “as soon as I landed for my next trip to New York City, we headed straight to Schmackary’s to discover how a cookie could penetrate my daughter’s ever-so-picky cookie-ometer. The myth is true! One bite of one of their magical cookies and I became a forever fan.”

Lott, who’s bringing the cookie brand to her hometown of San Diego, says she wasn’t looking for a business opportunity. It’s more like one came looking for her. “I wasn’t interested in working at all,” she says. “I am retiring in June 2024 and was already lining up my bucket list trip to see the northern lights. But when I saw that my favorite store in New York was franchising, it was a quick yes to Schmackary’s. 

“Every time I visit, it reminds me of a neighborhood bakery in the small town where my mom grew up. It’s an experience like no other. And the icing on the cookie,” she says, emphasizing her wordplay, “is that Schmackary’s Cookies has partnered with the very impressive company, Fransmart, to grow their franchise across the United States. I’m honored to be the first to introduce Schmackary’s to Southern California.”

Lott’s Background

Lott brings impressive career chops to franchise ownership, although she has no experience in the restaurant industry. “I have used my Bachelor of Arts degree in economics, my MBA in small business management, and Master of Arts degree in education to forge a career in technology and education. I worked for iconic companies such as Electronic Data Systems as well as IBM.” 

And she paid some political dues, too. “At one time, I had an interest in pursuing politics in technology, so I interned for Congressman Duncan Hunter Sr., Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm and the National Institutes of Health.” 

Then life threw her a couple of curveballs, prompting Lott to shift gears. “After nine years at IBM, I had twins while in a marriage that ended when they were only 3 weeks old. I decided to resign from IBM and began working as a teacher, mainly so my work and vacation schedules could align with my children’s. This allowed us to have many wonderful adventures during spring break, summer vacation and Christmas holidays.”

Strong Women in Her Family

In becoming a teacher, Lott opted to follow a more traditional women’s career path but still a different one from the “long line of domestic CEOs” in her family. “My grandmother raised 10 successful children and made time for a side hustle of washing clothes for income as well as growing food to save money while feeding her family. Her ability to cook, clean, manage her husband and children, and figure out ways to supplement the family income was worthy of a six-figure salary.”

Lott’s mother took in ironing to help the family’s finances. “When I was a young child, I remember helping my mother carry in loads of baskets of clean clothes that she would iron to make money for our family. That type of work ethic was passed on to a generation of children who could go on to establish themselves in the corporate world.” Lott’s mother, Dorothy Smith, had ambition, though, and became the first Black woman elected to office in San Diego and operated the longest-running Black theater in the country.

Franchising as a Help to Women

Lott has witnessed women being held back in the business world, though, and believes franchising may level the playing field for many. “Unfortunately, women have faced gender and other barriers as they attempted to establish legitimate businesses,” she says. “A franchise removes some of those barriers. Because the franchised business is already a proven concept, a woman is more likely to be believed as trustworthy by lenders, to be believed to have a quality product by customers, and to have confidence in her ability as a leader as she is supported by the franchise system.”

She’s optimistic that her Schmackary’s Cookies franchise will take off and is excited about contributing to her community through her new business. “It’s going to be fun to bring the Official Cookie of Broadway to our local professional theater world in San Diego. There’s nothing like picking up a great Schmackary’s cookie on the way to a show at one of our wonder venues like the La Jolla Playhouse, Balboa Park’s Old Globe Theatre or the San Diego Civic Theatre, just to name a few. It further adds to the Broadway experience in San Diego. I also love that I will be able to hire managers and bakers from our local community colleges and other schools.”

The Schmackary’s Cookies Franchise

The business carves out a new identity for Lott, too, she says. “I’ve supported my mom and my daughter for so long that I’m known as Dorothy’s daughter or Loren’s mother. I feel like now it’s my time to step into the spotlight and serve my community. I want to create a place that brings happiness to all who enter.”  

Schmackary’s Cookies has more than 100 recipes to cater to virtually any palate and is also known for its excellent coffee. The brand has been serving New York City for 10-plus years and delivers cookies all over the United States. Franchisees appreciate the low start-up costs, small real estate footprint, and quick- and easy-to-launch operating systems. For more information about opportunities with the Schmackary’s Cookies franchise, please visit https://schmackarys.com/franchise/ or email [email protected].