Memphians offer support to Makeda’s Cookies
Jaylon Howell and Jaime Copeland stare in disbelief at a makeshift memorial on Nov. 18, 2021, for Young Dolph, who was shot outside of Makeda's Homemade Cookies the day before. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)
A chef, a commissioner, and other Memphians are offering ways to support Makeda’s Cookies, a local cookie shop.
This comes after Memphis rapper Young Dolph was shot and killed at the bakery’s 2370 Airways Blvd. location on Wednesday, Nov. 17. Dolph was a frequent customer and made a visit to the shop six days before the shooting took place.
After Memphians heard the news about Dolph’s demise, many gathered in front of the shop. That store location has since been boarded up.
Tami Sawyer, Shelby County commissioner, asked people to support the business by donating via Cash App. She also stated that the business had received more than 1,000 online orders since Wednesday.
Makeda’s Cookies is a Black and woman owned business. They are boarded up and closed due to the shooting of #YoungDolph @ their store. You can support the family through this with donations via cashapp to the matriarch Ms. Pamela Hill at $cookiequeen99. pic.twitter.com/lolSdxMXTC
— Tami Sawyer (@tamisawyer) November 18, 2021
Kelly English — chef and owner of Restaurant Iris, The Second Line and Pantà — promised to donate $1 of every dessert sold through Sunday and challenged other restaurateurs to do the same.
We are giving $1 for every dessert we sell at any of our restaurants through Sunday directly to @MAKEDAS_COOKIES. I am challenging every #MEMPHIS restaurant to hop on board. Who will join us? What would you do if you were the one boarded up? pic.twitter.com/P7WpvAAJg9
— Kelly English (@kelly_english) November 18, 2021
The Liquor Store, a restaurant located on 2655 Broad Ave., was one business to accept English’s challenge.
Makeda’s has been serving its butter cookies to the Memphis community since 1999, along with other treats such as oatmeal, macadamia nut, pecan and chocolate chip cookies.
The family-owned shop was named after Makeda Denise Hill, the daughter of Morris and Willie Mae Hill. Makeda died in 1997 from leukemia.
In addition to the Airways location, the business has a location Downtown at 301 Jefferson Ave. The cookies can also be purchased from area grocery stores.
Makeda’s posted a statement that Dolph would be missed.
The family also shared a GoFundMe fundraiser with a $150,000 goal to deal with the aftermath of the fatal shooting, citing a need for building repairs, staff pay, recovering lost revenue, security for staff who have received threats and grief counseling.
“In the (shooting) aftermath, the store that was just repaired after burglaries will now have to begin again,” the post stated.
As of Thursday night, more than $20,200 had been raised via the platform.
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Makeda's Young DolphJasmine McCraven
Jasmine McCraven considers herself to be a music enthusiast and believes that she makes the best playlists ever. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State, but couldn’t wait to move back home to Memphis for the best food and culture in Tennessee.
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