Makeda's Cookies reopens flagship location after being closed since Young Dolph's death

As Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies celebrates 23 years in Memphis this weekend, co-owners Maurice and Pamela Hill celebrated a new beginning on Saturday morning – the reopening of its flagship store.

For the first time in 10 months, customers lined up at Makeda’s, 2370 Airways Blvd., to purchase cookies from the business billed as having the “best butter cookies in the world.” The store had remained closed since late rapper Young Dolph was gunned down on Nov. 17 while at the store he frequented often for chocolate chip cookies.

Young Dolph:To be inducted into the Memphis Shelby County Schools Alumni Hall of Fame

Related:Makeda's Butter Cookies to reopen Airways location, closed since Young Dolph's death

Mario Ray, a physician, is a longtime Makeda’s customer and stopped by Saturday morning after hearing about the storefront’s reopening on Friday evening. He often drove and picked up cookies at the Airways Boulevard location before going home on the interstate.

“On my way home, like I was telling Maurice (Hill), it’s very common for me to just stop by, hop off the expressway, grab (my cookies),” Ray said. “I love the iced oatmeal, my wife and kids like the butter cookies, my son likes the chocolate chip cookies. I stop in, grab a few of those things and hop off on the expressway and I’m gone. When I heard about it (the reopening), I was like yes. Just happy that it’s back.”

Makeda’s reopening of the flagship location means the business once again has two Memphis storefronts and plan to operate both of them. The second, 301 Jefferson Ave., in Downtown Memphis opened less than two weeks before Dolph’s death.

Justin Johnson, who has been charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, theft, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and employing a firearm in a felony, is due back in court on Nov. 4. Also due in court, that day is Cornelius Smith, who has been accused by law enforcement of being one of the gunmen seen in surveillance images taken outside Makeda’s when Thornton was killed.

A memorial for Dolph on the left side of Makeda’s includes a dolphin with the letters P.R.E, a reference to Dolph’s music label Paper Route Empire, and next to that a “Black Men Deserve To Grow Old” t-shirt.

“We love our community,” said Makeda’s co-owner Maurice Hill. “We love Memphis. Memphis love us, so we are excited about being back here so they can come and get those delicious cookies that they love for 23 years that we’ve been producing.”

The Hills initially decided not to reopen the store after receiving threats following the rapper’s death. Though the couple later had a change of heart, even though Saturday’s reopening was “bittersweet” given the events of the past 10 months.

“I think it was the moment when the money started to dwindle,” Pamela Hill said. “We were like wow we need to get back over there on Airways. That entrepreneurial spirit. We just had to do what we do. Bake cookies. This is our flagship store.”

The reopening included a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony with a prayer from the Hills’ pastor Rev. Kenneth Whalum Jr. of the New Olivet Worship Center at Woodland Hills in Cordova.

“We pray a covering on the owners of this business and address,” Whalum said during the prayer. “We thank you Lord for the symbolic nature of a ribbon cutting. Thank you Lord, for what it represents. It represents newness, moving into the future.”

After picking up his cookies, Ray said he was hopeful about how Makeda’s reopening could benefit the community.

“It’ll show that as long as we come together we can achieve great things,” Ray said. “This is a great business for this community. A lot of people supported Makeda’s before that tragic incident, so I think it’ll just remind people that good things still happen in the city of Memphis.”

Omer Yusuf covers the Ford project in Haywood County, residential real estate, tourism and banking for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached via email [email protected] or followed on Twitter @OmerAYusuf.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Makeda's Cookies reopens Memphis location after Young Dolph's death