Francis Nelson Beebe knows a good cookie when he bakes one. This avid artisan baker and chef has been perfecting the art of the chocolate chip cookie for years and has parlayed his passion into an entrepreneurial endeavor: Mr. Nelson’s Cookies; now open for business in Gold Canyon.

Beebe’s business model is simple: he’s a one-man cookie-baking band who is dedicated to small-batch chocolate chip cookie making. He bakes Monday through Thursday, packing and shipping 288 (24 dozen) cookies per day. Fans can login to his website to see his baking schedule and purchase his treats.

His retail model is an online ordering system only and cookies are baked, wrapped and shipped with next-day delivery in Arizona one or two day delivery across the Southwest.  Mr. Nelson’s Cookies are packaged in a custom, hand-made box in six or 12 cookie quantities and are priced at $5 for a quarter-pound cookie.

“Ninety percent of all consumers in the US like cookies and 66 percent of these cookie fans are buying chocolate chip. I wanted to keep my model simple. I’m the only employee and plan to stay that way,” said Beebe.

Beebe retired 12 years ago from a wildly successful career in sales, marketing and logistics working for Procter & Gamble. His foray into cookie-dom was initially spawned after he earned his Culinary Arts degree from Le Cordon Bleu’s program a few years ago.

“I knew I could create a company from my passion for food; the key was to find a product with a loyal following so I set out to create the world’s most perfect chocolate chip cookie,” said Beebe.

Beyond his online cookie orders, Beebe offers limited “Mr. Nelson’s Experiences” in which on a selective basis, he will bake cookies in-home or at a special events like weddings, anniversary parties and other private and unique functions.