A Recipe for Success
Robin Wehl Martin, founder of the beloved cookie bakery Hello Robin, comes by her sweet tooth honestly. Growing up on Mercer Island, Robin learned to bake from her grandmother, a private chef whose sugar cookies were in high demand among her grandchildren. As an adult, Robin became neighborhood-famous for her sweet treats, winning big at local bake-offs and being commended for “Overall Awesomeness” at pie competitions, and often inviting friends over to share fresh-baked cookies in her Capitol Hill kitchen.
“Cookies are my most favorite dessert,” says Robin. “I’ve always loved them and still do. And there’s something that is really relaxing about a cozy day in the kitchen and making something delicious for friends and family.”
Hello, Robin!
Put on your pajamas and grab a blanket or stuffie, because it's storytime! This month, you can catch Robin at all six T&C markets, where she’ll be hosting cozy storybook reading for kids, complete with fresh-baked Hello Robin cookies and T&C Everyday Milk.
“When T&C reached out to me with the idea for storytime, of course I said yes. Town & Country feels like a community—the staff and customers are incredibly friendly and enthusiastic.”
See our Events page for details on how to join in on the fun.
A Bakery That Feels Like Home
Robin credits her friend—and frequent kitchen guest—Molly Moon Neitzel, the founder of Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream, with the inspiration for the design of her shop. Her vision: a homey, inviting bakery where people could stop by and enjoy a cup of coffee and a cookie, and watch the bakers as they whipped up confections, just like they did in Robin’s own kitchen. In 2013, when a storefront became available on 19th Avenue in Capitol Hill, Molly’s husband Zack sent Robin a text, urging her to take the leap and open her own shop.
That text paid off in a big way. Hello Robin was an instant hit, with sales rising faster than a batch of snickerdoodles in a hot oven. With flavors like Classic Chocolate Chip, Totes Oats, and Birthday Cake, to signature offerings like the beloved S’more cookie and the spicy-sweet Habañero Orange, the bakery has something for every sweet tooth.
A Recipe for Success
A baker’s dozen years later, Hello Robin has two additional locations at U-Village and in Bellevue, plus a line of bake-at-home dough, which you can find in the frozen section at Town & Country. “We started making bake-at-home dough during Covid. Our stores were shut down and we were looking for projects to sustain our business,” explains Robin. “We never dreamed it would be as popular as it is and we are so incredibly thankful.”
Sweet Science
What makes for a perfect cookie? Robin shared that baking the dough from frozen prevents the cookies from spreading and results in caramelized edges and tender centers, making the bake-at-home treats as delightful as the ones you’ll find at the bakery. (As if you needed a reason to eat more cookies.)