The Excellently Named Goodnight Fatty Pops Up With Late-Night Cookies in Salem

A new source for sweets has arrived in Salem. A late-night cookie pop-up called Goodnight Fatty is now shoveling out trays and trays of cookies on Friday and Saturday nights at Derby Joe, a local coffee shop.

The concept was born of the founders’ cravings for cookies after having dinner out in Salem, with nowhere to turn, according to the website. A partnership was formed with Derby Joe, and Goodnight Fatty was born. The cookies are "made in small batches, with ethical and quality ingredients, and most importantly served warm when you come in."

Founders Erik Sayce and Jennifer Pullen run the operation. "We’ve both always wanted to start our own business and for years have thrown ideas at the wall — Goodnight Fatty was the one that stuck," Sayce told Eater.

Initially, they considered calling the concept "Goodnight Cookie" as a spin on Sayce’s favorite children’s book, Goodnight Moon, but on a shopping trip to the UK clothing store FatFace, Sayce laughed and proposed "Goodnight Fat Face" and then "Goodnight Fatty."

"It has always been clear to us that branding and self-identity would be the biggest challenges for a pop-up. Naming the business Goodnight Fatty had just the right edge that we were looking for," Sayce said.

Sayce and Pullen thought that Derby Joe’s closing hours at night were an untapped resource, so they pitched owner Dan Crowther their cookie pop-up, and he loved the idea and suggested calling the cookies "fatties," according to Sayce.

"We’re pumped to call them fatties, because it also will allow us to push the envelope of what people expect from a cookie," Sayce said. "Just by tweaking the name we’ll be able to keep it fresh and exciting each week without having to meet any preconceived expectations that come with a cookie. In a small way, it’s not really a cookie — it can be something new."

Goodnight Fatty had its first pop-up this past weekend. The "fatty" options included coconut with almonds and Ghirardelli dark chocolate; cinnamon with dark chocolate, pecans, and coconut; and double Ghirardelli dark chocolate with pecans and heath toffee bits.

Both Sayce and Pullen work full-time in Salem, running Goodnight Fatty on the side. "We want to make sure we don’t grow beyond means before we can sustain and ensure a great experience each time for our customers," Sayce said. "For now, we’re just excited to have a single weekend of success under our belt and entirely focused on pulling off another one in a few days."