The new store opened Wednesday at 340 Lafayette Street, at Bleecker Street, in NoHo, and as far as bakeries go, Levain had an unusual start.
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Owners Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes met in a swimming pool at Columbia University while training for a triathlon, and their shared interest turned into a labor of love.
They started baking to fuel their training, and in 1995, they opened a wholesale bread bakery on West 74th Street.
They had decided to make a small batch of their favorite cookies to see if people liked them as much as they did, and the chocolate walnut cookie soon got some company with three more flavors -- and then the lines started forming.
The pair expanded to other locations, but they hope an investment from a private equity company takes them to the next level. They've grown their management team with a plan to spread around the globe.
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And with the grand opening of their first Downtown location comes their first new cookie in 25 years -- a brand new concoction called "Two Chip," with two types of chocolate chips and minus the walnuts.
Each cookie is 2 niches high by 4 inches wide and weighs 6 ounces, with a price tag of $4.
But Levain's success isn't just the result of delicious food -- but the friendship that's baked in.
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