Wally Amos, Founder of Famous Amos Cookies, Dies at 88: His Legacy
Wallace “Wally” Amos, the charismatic entrepreneur, pop culture figure and literary advocate who created Famous Amos cookies passed away on Wednesday. He was 88. Known for his warm smile and larger-than-life personality, Amos left a mark on the world of food and beyond. You may have even seen him in a cameo on an episode of the sitcom “The Office.” His story is one of passion and perseverance that turned a small cookie business into a household name. Keep reading to learn more about Amos’ life and how he began providing simple joys to millions for decades to come.
The passing of Wally Amos, the founder of Famous Amos Cookies
Wally Amos passed away peacefully in his home in Honolulu, Hawai’i, surrounded by loved ones, on August 13 at the age of 88. According to a statement signed by his four children, his death came from complications of dementia. “He was a true original Black American hero,” the statement said, signed by Sarah, Michael, Gregory and Shawn. “Our dad taught us the value of hard work, believing in ourselves and chasing our dreams.”
The statement continued with reflecting on Amos’ entrepreneurial spirit: "Our dad inspired a generation of entrepreneurs," his children said. "With his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride. It's also part of our family story for which we will forever be grateful and proud."
Who was Wally Amos?
Born in Tallahassee, Florida, in 1936, Wally Amos' journey to becoming a cookie mogul was anything but conventional. After he joined the Air Force, Amos moved to New York City and began his career in the mailroom at William Morris Agency. Later becoming a talent agent, he represented stars like Simon & Garfunkel, Sam Cooke and The Supremes.
However, it was his love for baking, a skill he learned from his Aunt Della Bryant, that would eventually make him famous. In the ‘60s, he moved to California to open his own agency, and began gifting his chocolate chip cookies as a “thank you” to clients. “I began to bake as a hobby; it was a kind of therapy,” Amos explained to The New York Times in August 1975. “I'd go to meetings with [the] record company or movie people and bring along some cookies, and pretty soon everybody was asking for them.”
The beginning of Famous Amos cookies
Amos’ cookies quickly gained a reputation of their own, inspiring Amos to bring high-quality, homemade-style cookies to the masses. With a $25,000 loan from friends like Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy, Amos opened his first store on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles in 1975. His cookies, made from a secret recipe, became an instant hit. By the ‘80s, revenue had grown to $12 million.
The store's success led to rapid expansion, and soon Famous Amos cookies were available in stores nationwide. The brand’s packaging, featuring Amos’ beaming face and Panama hat, became as iconic as the cookies themselves. Amos’ insistence on using the best ingredients, coupled with his engaging personality, helped the brand stand out.
So, what was the secret? According to Amos, everything he baked he made with love. He told NPR back in 2008, “I think it's important to love what you do because that love is transferred to what you do, and it turns it into something absolutely fantastic.”
The challenges and legacy of Famous Amos
Despite its initial success, Famous Amos faced financial challenges in the 1980s, leading Amos to sell the company. After facing growing competition from other cookie brands, Amos sold his stake for $3 million in 1988 — also losing his rights. “I was stupid, plain and simple. I sold the company and didn’t realize I had sold my future along with it,” he told CNBC in 2008.
However, Amos never lost his passion for baking or entrepreneurship. He continued to create new brands and products, including “Uncle Wally's Muffin Company” and “The Cookie Kahuna,” the latter of which he pitched on Shark Tank in 2016. In 2018, Amos launched another cookie company, named after his aunt. “This is my last company, I can tell you that for sure. Put that on my tombstone: ‘He died starting one last cookie company,’” Amos told Charlotte Magazine in 2018, laughing.
Amos’ perseverance came from the simple joy of doing what made him happy. “I started making cookies just to make a living and to be happy doing what I was doing,” he said in a 1991 interview with the Detroit Black Journal. “And I just, I was so committed and so involved and so joyous about it.”
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