Cookies by Design, a woman owned business, was founded in 1983 by Gwen Willhite. Gwen had the idea of making a gift suitable for not only women, but men as well; a gift that he would be excited to receive at his workplace. So she combined two traditional gifts of flowers and sweets and created a deliciously clever concept: the cookie bouquet. Her edible bouquets of custom-shaped and hand-decorated sugar and cinnamon brown sugar cookies on sticks were cleverly arranged in baskets as tasteful gifts for any holiday or occasion. These impressive gifts were instant hits among men and women alike especially because the product tasted as good as it looked and Gwen's budding enterprise soon outgrew her own home kitchen.