Wallace “Wally” Amos, entrepreneur and founder of Famous Amos cookies has died at the age of 88. His family, in a statement, said Amos died from complications with dementia at his home in Honolulu.
“With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride. Our dad taught us the value of hard work, believing in ourselves, and chasing our dreams,” Amos’ children said in a statement.
Amos became interested in cooking at a young age. He was born in a thriving Black community in Tallahassee and moved to New York City at age 12 to live with an aunt. His aunt would bake cookies for him and he would later develop his chocolate chip cookie recipe from her. Amos dropped out of high school to join the United States Air Force. He earned his high school equivalency diploma before leaving the military.
Upon his return to civilian life, Amos went to college to become a secretary. He got a mailroom clerk job with the William Morris Agency, eventually becoming the agency’s first African American talent agent. He headed the agency’s rock ‘n’ roll department and represented musicians including The Temptations and Marvin Gaye. Amos would attract clients by sending them chocolate chip cookies along an invitation to visit.
In 1975, Amos opened a brick-and-mortar cookie shop in Los Angeles. He started the business with the help of a $25,000 loan from his celebrity friends. His recipe used real ingredients, was mostly handmade, and had no additive coloring or chemicals. Amos’ cookies stood out from the flavorless, preservative-packed cookies available to consumers at the time and were an immediate hit. In it’s first year, the store brought in $300,000 in revenue.
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By 1981, Famous Amos was a $12 million ($42 million today) company with stores across the country. The brand also had its packaged products sold in supermarkets and department stores like Bloomingdale’s.
Despite being a great promotor, Amos struggled as a businessperson. Financial troubles forced to sell the company and lose the right to use his name. Amos, however, was not done with the confectionary business.
He launched Uncle Noname Gourmet Muffins in 1994. The company rebranded to Uncle Wally’s Muffin Company in 1999. Its muffins are sold in more than 3,500 stores nationwide.
In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Amos was active in promoting reading. His shop had a reading room with dozens of donated books and Amos spent Saturdays reading to children. He wrote eight books, served as spokesperson for Literacy Volunteers of America for 24 years and gave motivational talks.
Amos was awarded the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award by President Ronald Reagan at the White House Conference on Small Business in 1986.
