Meet Denon Moore | Chief Cookie Engineer & Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Denon Moore and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Denon, as a parent, what have you done for you children that you feel has had the most significant impact?
I’ve raised my boys in the business from ages 3 and 5 – they have been with me the entire way. They’ve learned lessons of hard work, celebrations, struggles, economics, small business management, inventiveness, creativity, the value of a dollar, flexibility, togetherness, customer service, patience, reasoning, community stewardship, and so much more. Their education from being raised in the business likely surpasses what I can even imagine. Fast forward from 3 and 5 years of age; I have a 19-year-old pursuing a business degree and a 17-year-old ready to pursue his passion for music and art. I can boldly say my values have been passed along to them in a variety of ways. It’ll be fascinating to see where it takes them.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I studied psychology and education in college. Practiced as a group living, life skills counselor, and vocational counselor for ten years. During that time, I became very passionate about creating jobs for all and those who have disabilities and struggle to find jobs. In 2007 I combined my love of art, cake making/decorating, and vocational counseling and opened my first business, Cake Crumbs, a modest cake shop turned neighborhood institution. From 2007 – 2017 I created a larger business conglomerate to include food trucks, wholesale and off-site production, and a second cafe in Denver, and a cupcake shop in Colorado Springs. The businesses were booming, but I was worn thin. With family medical issues becoming a priority, I sold the businesses to support the family and, most importantly, allow myself time to get healthy – emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally. With a three-year hiatus, one very mismatched “desk job,” and a global pandemic, I quickly realized the importance in my life is to do what I love and what brings me joy. So in January 2021, with the help of my husband and two sons, we opened The Urban Cookie. A bakery with a sole focus on cookies.

As a business owner, I’ve encountered countless challenges, but it’s overcoming those challenges that keep me going. The greatest challenge was deciding to sell a legacy to focus on health and wellbeing. I struggled with that decision before, during, and after. Past selling, I encountered immense grief and regret. Now, being three years past making that life-changing decision, I’m grateful for putting my own and my family’s health and well-being first. And, I’m thrilled to be back at it. The Urban Cookie is a fun and lighthearted concept that we all are having a blast growing.

What people can take away from this is that life balance should be a top priority, and reinvention is allowed. You will be your best version of yourself when you do what you love, all the while prioritizing your wellbeing.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Because my business is on Colfax Ave, I’d start by giving them the Colfax tour, from Aurora to Golden – really. We’d enjoy the vibes, the food, and drinks. Stops would include my favorites Pho-na-tic, Choice Market and Gas, Irish Snug, Tacos Tequilla Whiskey, To The Wind Bistro, Atomic Cowboy, Machete, Nuggs, Marczyks, Tattered Cover, Coloradical, and Herbs and Arts.

The Dairy Block, Union Station, and Stanley Market Place would be the top three destinations in Denver. They offer variety, bustle, and a community vibe. Not to mention good food, drink, and shopping.

For a drive, we’d go to Red Rocks and perhaps catch a concert. For a hike nearby, we go to the Chavez and Beaver Brook Trail off I-70.

If time allowed, we take a drive to Boulder and do some shopping on Pearl St.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Grandma taught me to bake from scratch. Mrs. Fern Hill, my high school Home Economics teacher, guided me to follow my dreams and not to take “no” for an answer. My husband, Sean, and my sons, Andrew and Carter, for allowing me to follow my heart and take incredible risks for the family. They have been by my side and involved in all of my bakery businesses from the very beginning. Finally, the journey of taking a “desk job” after selling my bakery businesses in 2017 all to learn my passion is in creating and baking, employing and teaching. For that year and a half, finding myself and being true to my passion was what lead me back to designing and opening another bakery concept.

Website: www.theurbancookie.com

Instagram: @theurbancookie

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-urban-cookie/about

Facebook: @theurbancookie