By Lee Hurley
It’s official, The Cook Store is now qualified to join AARP. Opened by Sam Franks in 1975, he later sold it to Betty Knight who changed the name to The Cook Store and, in 1999, sold it to Wesley Lassen, where our story begins. Wesley was born and raised in Mountain Brook, the daughter of well-liked and respected Fred Powell a lawyer with Burr & Forman. Her mother, Bette, passed her culinary wisdom and passion down to Wesley, who loved trips to the grocery store with her mom to buy ingredients. And yet, it’s a bit of a leap from enjoying cooking to owning a cooking store. That takes an extra set of attributes, which after 26 years in business, Wesley has gotten the old-fashioned way. The store is comfortable and acoustically inviting with wood floors and walls. One can see plenty of function to go with form, and as Wesley said in an interview years ago, “Everything we sell, we want you to be able to cook in it, clean it and do anything you want with it.”
OTMJ: You grew up a Brookie?
Wesley Lassen: I grew up in Crestline, went through the MB school system and then to Sweet Briar College and got a BA (trainable) in Economics with a minor in Philosophy—again I’m trainable.
Do you still live in Mountain Brook?
I currently live in the Hollywood section of Homewood (29 years) but will be moving to my husband, Hal’s childhood home, which we renovated in Vestavia. So I will have covered all the over-the-mountain areas in my lifetime.
Congratulations on your semicentennial!
Cheers to 50 years!! My first day owning the store, I think we did $68 in sales. We brought in a decorator and moved some things around and picked paint colors. I was terrified but excited all at the same time. We met with reps, ordered products and just went with the flow. My mom helped me a lot. We are kindred spirits. We are not good shoppers but excellent buyers.
How do you decide what products are in your store?
The store products are about what I like. If I don’t like it, I can’t sell it. I learned this valuable lesson early on.
What are some of your best sellers?
Earthborn Pottery, Le Creuset non-stick cookware and Dutch ovens, wood as a category—especially square wooden plates—Wusthof knives and of course gadgets of all kinds.
What have been some of the most interesting changes you’ve seen since you bought the store?
The world has gone from fancy and traditional to a lot more casual—we find brides and grooms would much rather have casual pottery than fine china. We all entertain much more casually than we used to.
If you were on a desert island, what three kitchen items would you take with you?
Joyce Chen scissors, tongs and a Le Creuset nonstick skillet … and of course a good wine opener.
What is something about your store that might surprise people?
We sell nothing with a cord… no electrics.
Pottery is a big deal here?
I grew up loving pottery and felt like if it was functional it would make this shop different. We started with Tena Payne of Earthborn Studios and branched out from there. It is the most fun part of the business. I have dealt with a lot of potters, but Earthborn has been tried and true for 26 years.
Are you a good cook?
I’m a well-rounded cook and like to do a little bit of everything. I always tell people my brother James Powell is a much better cook than me—he is adventurous with meats, vegetables and sauces. My husband, Hal, is the pasta man and the griller. I take care of all the rest.
Tell us about Lucy?
Lucy, is an almost seven-year-old goldendoodle. She is my child and the shop mascot. We got her on a Saturday at seven weeks old, and on Monday she was at the store. My girls here at the shop are her other mothers. She is very protective of all of us.
What advice would you give someone starting their own business today?
I would say do your homework and make sure you have good funding, a great bank and accountant. I hope in the next four to six years to sell The Cook Store to a bright young person who can take it to the next level.
In a world full of chains stores, do your customers appreciate the uniqueness of shopping at an independent store?
YES! I think people love that we are an independent shop that gives lots of personal attention. We hope we have the best customer service in town. We are a happy shop and want people to feel that from us.
Anything else?
The Cook Store was a silver winner in 2019 for Retailer of the Year. I’m very proud of that award. And last, you can only be as successful as those who surround you. My Cook Store team and family are THE BEST!!
