We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tyler Obluck a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tyler, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?
Coming up with the name for Peculiar Cookie Co. kinda came as an epiphany. I had been contemplating starting a baking business, but like most people taking that leap, I was unsure of myself. I was surrounded by the most supportive people, but still was slow to start. I mean, what was I supposed to call this company? I needed a name that was different, and represented me. I was driving one day, listening to a true crime podcast and I heard the word “peculiar”. At that point, I was running through potential company names day and night, so I said out loud “peculiar cookie”, and it stuck. I called my best friend immediately and she agreed it was perfect! I set up my LLC the very next day, and that was the beginning of Peculiar Cookie Company.
Tyler, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Tyler Obluck and I am the owner of Peculiar Cookie Co. I started my company in April 2022, but I have been cooking and baking since I can remember. I grew up with a family full of chefs and bakers so I started accumulating knowledge of cooking and baking when I was very young. I had younger siblings I would often cook for and try out my peculiar recipes on. I wont get into the details, but they weren’t all great. But I had the disposition to try to be different and create something uncommon. Through the years I have gotten better at my craft, but it has only been a hobby until recently. I would always want to host friends-giving, and dinners in college because I truly LOVED cooking for people. I was the designated craft grilled-cheese maker after my roommates and I got home from a night out. The feeling of seeing someone truly enjoy your cooking is elating. I graduated with a degree in business, with the hopes of owning my own company someday. My husband gave me the idea of growing my passion into a business after enjoying some of my cookies one night and that really planted the seed that grew into the Peculiar Cookie Company. He and my son are now my designated taste testers. I make brownies, cookies, blondies, and cake bars. Some of my most peculiar recipes include a brownie with peanut butter and marshmallow crispy treats, called the Gemini Jack. I have a lactation oatmeal raisin cookie with flax, brewers yeast, and vanilla bean icing called The Moon Mother. My absolute favorite is a cinnamon blondie with a crumbly streusel topping, and an espresso creme glaze called The Namaste. I also make seasonal sugar cookie decorating kits and hot cocoa bombs
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
I meet most of my customers at events like farmers’ markets, or holiday fairs. When I am a vendor at the markets I get to interact with so many people and tell them about myself and my business. I think getting to know the maker face-to-face is such a great marketing tool.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
With a name like Peculiar Cookie Company, I set myself up to stand out. I like to experiment with different ingredients and my goal is to make people say “oh, I’ve never tried something like that!” I also make my extracts, use herbs from my garden, and make many of my ingredients. I also try to cater to my gluten-free customers, and I also have some low glycemic index options too.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/peculiarcookieco?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/peculiarcookieco
Image Credits
Photography by Peyton Only for last photo of my son and me