The glitterball is about to go dark at Super Duper Cookie Co., the disco-themed cookie and ice-cream shop near Southern Methodist University that employed adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The University Park storefront will close on May 1, and the shop's self-described boogie guides who handled everything from baking to customer service, have been turning up this week with customers to say goodbye. In a final Instagram post, the bakery invited patrons to come say goodbye and get a cookie and dance under the disco ball one last time.
Founder Benjamin L. Crosland told customers in an email that the decision came down to money, saying the shop's social enterprise model had become "unsustainable" because product prices relative to rent and other costs made the operation unworkable. As reported by The Dallas Morning News, Super Duper employed about 20 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and first opened in 2024.
Super Duper billed itself as a joyful, 1970s-themed social bakery, serving cookies such as Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodle and "Disco Sprinkle," plus scoops of ice cream along with vegan and gluten-free options. The company calls its staff boogie guides and says those employees contribute to every aspect of our business, from baking to serving, according to Super Duper.
Staff placements and a local nonprofit partner
Crosland said Super Duper is working with Hugs to place its boogie guides into roles at Hugs' restaurants so staff can keep earning wages after the storefront closes. The Dallas Morning News reported the partnership, and Hugs describes itself as a McKinney-based nonprofit that trains and employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and operates a training academy.
Why the economics matter
Small, independent food businesses often run on razor-thin margins, and industry observers say rising food, labor and rent costs have left many neighborhood operators squeezed. Those pressures, from higher ingredient prices to insurance and delivery fees, have been cited in an uptick in closures and cutbacks across the country. The Los Angeles Times recently outlined several of those headwinds.
Super Duper's last day for customers will be May 1, after which the University Park storefront will be shuttered and staff placements will be finalized with partner organizations. Customers hoping to support the boogie guides can stop by in the coming days and follow updates on Super Duper's official channels. The shop lists its location at 6401 Hillcrest Avenue near SMU on its website, while Hugs is accepting placement inquiries through its site.
