Sharon's Cookie Jar of Granby Offers More than Just Desserts

Sharon’s Cookie Jar is a deli and market, not just a bakery. Although visitors to the breakfast and lunch spot on Salmon Brook Street roundly enjoy owner Sharon Pisiakowski’s cookies ­and other baked goods – in fact, its slogan is “a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand” – the full-service deli offers much more than just desserts.

Pisiakowski’s deli features large portions, and fresh, made-to-order offerings. Its menu is a mix of popular staples and daily specials, with a different soup, sandwich, hot lunch, cookie and smoothie offered each day.

“Nobody goes away hungry,” Pisiakowski said.

The deli’s atmosphere is casual and inviting, with free wi-fi and a flat screen TV to entertain customers.

“The atmosphere is relaxing,” Pisiakowski said. “You can come and hang out.”

Much of Pisiakowski’s business comes from repeat customers, a sure sign that the food at the Cookie Jar is good. She said her regulars get very excited when they hit the reward of the market and deli’s frequent eater program, offering a free meal after six are purchased at the regular price.

“You build a real relationship with them,” Pisiakowski said, noting that as customers return again and again, they become friends.

She is still hoping to draw more customers to her location at 498 Salmon Brook Street. The market and deli passed its one-year anniversary in June, however, which is usually a good sign for the viability of food-based businesses.

“Everybody who comes really likes it,” she said.

With the addition of a focused chef to the restaurant’s roster, Pisiakowski can focus more on her specialty, baked goods and pastries. She’s looking into adding a pastry case to the restaurant. Some examples of offerings Pisiakowski plans to provide in the near future are cheesecake, carrot cake, cupcakes, more pastries and many other desserts.

The restaurant is also going to start focusing on to-go meals, giving busy town residents a purchase, heat and eat option that is still locally made and made to order, just like all of the food at Sharon’s Cookie Jar.

Pisiakowski’s background is diverse, with time spent at pastry school and also social work. Before opening Sharon’s Cookie Jar in June 2011, she ran a homeless shelter in Hartford for 10 years.

“That’s my passion,” she said.

But with a new child, the opportunity to operate the market and deli closer to home where she is able to set her own hours (to an extent) was too good a situation for Pisiakowski to pass up.

“I wanted to be available for the school stuff, all the mom stuff,” she said.

Sharon’s Cookie Jar is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Catering is available as well.

To keep up to date on the latest daily offerings and specials at Sharon’s Cookie Jar, join its Facebook page.