Peach Cobbler Factory open
“The anticipation has been very high,” said co-owner Komeisha Rogers, a Bearden High School Class of 2003 graduate who partnered with her mother, Ericka Toms, in the franchise under KNE Enterprise. “It’s taken us a few months to get everything in motion and ready to open.
“We did have some challenges trying to open initially, but we are here,” she added.
With a soft opening Wednesday, Jan. 31, they opened with a Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce-sponsored ribbon cutting that day at the Parkside Drive shop.
“We had a lot of sales,” Rogers said. “We had a lot of people come through, try us out. People I’ve talked to have given us very good feedback.
“While it was a little stressful at times, it was very enjoyable; and this is what we worked for,” she added. “We’re ready to serve the people in Knoxville. We have plans of growing and opening additional locations.
The new location “we’ll consider our flagship Knoxville location, and we’ll be venturing into Sevierville in the near future,” Rogers said.
“We’re going to continue with the soft opening for the rest of the week (through Friday, Feb. 9), open between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday,” she added. “We’re giving our staff the opportunity to train … so we’re ramping up.”
A projected official opening is planned for the week of Feb. 12.
Rogers said the “dynamic duo” did some research on franchising because “during the pandemic, we were shut in, of course, and I’ve taken up cooking.
“I started looking around, trying different desserts and trying different recipes,” she added. “I have a cousin who lives in Chattanooga, He told us about a franchise opportunity that had come to his city.
“He went out and tried the dessert shop and said it’s really good. Once we stumbled upon this franchise, it was exciting for us because they offered different products that we hadn’t ever seen served this way.”
The menu starts with cobblers — peach honey apple, cherry, blackberry, strawberry, cinnamon peach, praline, mango peach, strawberry peach, caramel apple, blackberry peach, apple walnut raisin, sweet potato and pecan — but there’s much more.
The Peach Cobbler Factory also offers shakes; Belgian waffles topped with cobbler; 12 flavors of puddings, which includes banana pudding; cinnamon rolls; “bigger and better” cookies and brownies; churro stix with dipping sauce; and dessert flights.
“And we cater,” Rogers
added.
Working with mama “is good working with her because, definitely, we know each other very well,” she said. “We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses — and most of all, we can trust each other.
“So, it has been good,” Rogers added “We just have to separate the business relationship from the parent-daughter dynamic.”
When Rogers told her mother about the franchise idea, “she asked me could she be a part of it,” Rogers recalled. “She was sold on the product and the concept. She asked me, ‘Hey, let’s do it together.’”
Once the business is officially open, customers will be able to order online.
“We’re going to partner with all the delivery services: Uber Eats, Grub Hub and Door Dash,” Rogers said.
After the official opening, hours will be from noon to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
