Although Wally Amos didn’t set out to build a world-class brand, his creation has stood the test of time, leaving a lasting legacy. The beloved Famous Amos, with its signature bite-sized cookies inspired by Amos’ family recipe, launched in 1975 in a storefront on Los Angeles, CA’s Sunset Boulevard.

When the store opened, his son, Shawn, was just seven years old, and he was one of its workers.

“He worked in the back, and I worked in the front, and literally the two of us were tearing this place apart, building it, and opening it up. I learned the value of work, of just that all you have at the end of the day is work,” Shawn told AFROTECH™. “He wasn’t looking to create a worldwide brand or be an icon. He just wanted to open up a store selling cookies and make a living. And he really valued the work and took pride in the work.”

The store’s launch was made possible through a $25,000 loan from notable entertainers such as Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy. For years, Wally had been sharing his cookies with individuals in Hollywood, and their belief in what he was building made it easier to invest in the vision.

“They believed in him, and that’s where it starts, right? It’s an idea, but it’s your belief in someone’s ability to execute an idea…So they put in money at ground zero…They did it not because they had, I’m sure they hope they get their money back on their investment, but they did it because they believed in him,” Shawn explained.

Famous Amos was a massive success, earning $300,000 in revenue within its first year and scaling to a $12 million company by 1981, The New York Times reports. The company had multiple locations across the United States and products in various stores. 

Wally exceeded his expectations and saw his business become a worldwide brand. Although he sold the company in 1988, his legacy remains.

Wally passed away at 88 in 2024, and his entrepreneurial vision and pursuit are being honored through Famous Amos’ Ingredients for Success (IFS) Entrepreneurs Initiative, which awards a grant pool of $150,000 to early-stage Black business owners, a news release mentions. The initiative has existed since 2020, with 12 entrepreneurs as recipients and $600,000 dispersed so far.

“It’s so hard for people who don’t have access to the financial system, or they aren’t born into some kind of circumstance and or they don’t have some 20-page business plan, there are lots of people out there who are smart, who are driven, who have great ideas, who believe in themselves, who have the ability to execute and what they need is someone who will share their enthusiasm and back and back that enthusiasm with the money,” Shawn said. “That’s exactly what this is. And God, what a great tribute to him to say that, ‘Hey, we’re going to believe in your idea. And it doesn’t matter if you went to business school or in some particular circumstances; the idea is enough, and our belief in you is enough.’ That’s the spirit of Wally Amos, and so much the spirit of Famous Amos.”

“Famously You” Campaign

As Famous Amos celebrates its 50th anniversary, it has found another way to honor Wally. It is also launching its “Famously You” campaign, which will feature a limited release of Collectors Edition packaging that honors the original graphics from 1975 and features an image of Wally Amos in his signature Panama shirt. Customers can support across stores where the brand is sold.