Wallace “Wally” Amos, the brilliant mind and founder of “Famous Amos” cookies, passed away on Tuesday at 88. His family said he died peacefully at home, following a battle with dementia.
The seeds for his success were planted when he moved from Tallahassee, Florida as a teen to live with his Aunt Della in Harlem, where her homemade cookies left a lasting impression on him. He later baked those same cookies to deal with the stress of starting his management company in Los Angeles in the late 60s and they became a hit with his employees and industry colleagues.
His friends, music legends Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy, backed him financially as he opened his first Famous Amos bakery in Hollywood in 1975. He went from $300,000 in sales his first year to making $12 million annually by 1982.
He later bought a cookie shop in Hawaii and co-founded Uncle Wally's Muffin Company that you can still get in stores nationwide.
His children said, “Our dad inspired a generation of entrepreneurs… with his Panama hat, kazoo, and boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story, and a source of Black pride… He was a true original Black American hero.”
Amos was also a motivational speaker and literacy activist who wrote eight books and served as a spokesperson for Literacy Volunteers of America. He also received the National Literacy Award in 1991, from President George H.W. Bush.
Thank you for the sweet memories, Mr. Amos!
& Remember to always celebrate your magic! xo