A new metro-east cookie shop, featuring something special beyond sweet treats, is opening Friday

The big day is upon us!

At noon on Friday, Oct. 20, the much-anticipated Hot Box Cookies opens its doors to provide warm, delicious cookies to the masses.

As I mentioned in an earlier story, Hot Box Cookies has just over a dozen flavors that include classic chocolate chip (and a vegan version - yes!), peanut butter, red velvet and many others.

Also on the menu will be hand-scooped Oberweis ice cream, milkshakes and other tasty treats.

If you’ve been to a Hot Box Cookies location, you already have a good idea of what to expect. And it’s all good.

But the O’Fallon location has a little something extra that will help make it stand out in this area.

The interior walls feature a mural by artist and O’Fallon native Cbabi Bayoc.

Hot Box Cookies - O’Fallon owner Korian Harrington was already familiar with Bayoc’s work, having seen examples through the Deaconess Foundation in St. Louis and on social media.

He reached out to the artist on the off chance he’d get a response.

“I wasn’t expecting a response because Cbabi is such a huge artist and he does so much work,” Harrington stated. “But I was met with such warmth and I knew we were going to make this work.”

Bayoc’s work includes multiple murals on display nationwide, album covers, portraits and multiple themed collections. He also illustrated Ibram X. Kendi’s book “Goodnight Racism.”

“Prince came to St. Louis in 1997 and bought three of my paintings and the following year bought five more,” Bayoc stated in the release.

That’s so cool!

“I’m always evolving and always changing as a person, but also an artist,” Bayoc stated. “I always thought it would be cool to do murals, but not that I would actually do it, and even now to think that - ‘big’ doesn’t even feel ‘big’ anymore. I never saw myself doing children’s books, and so now I’ve learned to just keep drawing and keep painting and as long as I do that, anything is possible.”

Bayoc paints the “world that he wants to see his and your children thrive in,” according to his website.

His mural at Hot Box Cookies is a great example of this vision.

The figures depicted in the mural and Bayoc’s use of bright colors and words such as “community” and “care” help represent the diversity of the O’Fallon area.

There’s also a red train caboose in tribute to the O’Fallon caboose. It’s covered with the word “cookie” in different languages.

“[Bayoc’s] from the area,” Harrington stated in the release. “He understands what this area is about and what we want to do with Hot Box Cookies.”

Harrington said he’s nervous about opening the new store and meeting expectations.

But he’s excited about being able to bring a new store to the community. He wants others to experience Hot Box Cookies and fall in love with it as he did.

About Hot Box Cookies

Hot Box Cookies is located at 630 W. Highway 50 in O’Fallon.

Prior to opening on Friday, there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the O’Fallon-Shiloh Chamber of Commerce.

Harrington and the store’s general manager, David Hagler, will be present.

The shop’s hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

For more info about Hot Box Cookies, visit hotboxcookies.com or follow the O’Fallon location on Facebook and Instagram.