Crumbl Cookies Sales Fall 70%, Triangle Stores Close
Franchise operators in North Carolina face shrinking demand as the chain closes locations and its founders prepare to step back.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Crumbl Cookies has closed multiple Triangle-area locations in 2026, including stores in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Cary, as the company reports a sharp drop in sales. Franchisees carried out the closures, and North Carolina still has 24 Crumbl sites statewide.
Why it matters
The closures and a reported 70 percent sales decline signal that franchise operators in a fast-growth dessert category can face sudden demand erosion. For North Carolina operators, the pattern underscores how quickly unit economics can shift when a concept's novelty fades.
Internal documents and an August 2026 company announcement put sales 70 percent below their level two years earlier. Reports indicate more than 60 Crumbl locations closed in 2026, while the Triangle area still hosts seven locations and North Carolina has 24 sites statewide.
The players
Crumbl Cookies
A dessert franchise founded in 2017 that built a national footprint on rotating weekly cookie flavors and a franchised store model.
Jason McGowan
Co-founder of Crumbl Cookies who is stepping back from day-to-day operations while the company seeks replacements.
Sawyer Hemsley
Co-founder of Crumbl Cookies who is stepping back from day-to-day operations while the company seeks replacements.
The details
Franchisees, not the parent company, closed the locations, so the decisions were made store by store by independent operators. Co-founders Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley, along with chief technology officer Bryce Redd, will step back from day-to-day operations once replacements are found. The founders are themselves searching for successors, a step that will determine who sets the company's direction through its next phase.
Timeline
2017: Crumbl Cookies was founded by Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley.
May 2026: The founders announced they will resign from day-to-day operations.
August 2026: The company announced sales were 70 percent lower than two years earlier.
2026: Multiple Triangle locations, including Six Forks Station, Franklin Street and Parkside, closed.
Market Landscape
Crumbl grew from a single Utah location into a franchised chain that expanded widely across the country before its reported sales decline. The founders' planned exit and the franchisee closures show how dependence on a founder-driven brand and franchise expansion can expose operators when demand softens.
Franchise operators in dessert and quick-service concepts should review sales trends against the brand's reported performance and plan for demand volatility. Owners considering a franchise agreement should consult qualified counsel or an accountant about exit terms and the risk of depending on a founder-led brand.
The takeaway
The key operating lesson is that a rapid franchise expansion can unwind quickly when sales fall and founders step back. Operators should track same-store sales trends and watch for leadership transition announcements from franchisors they depend on.
Further reading
For more on how restaurant and retail locations open and close across the state, see Openings & Closings in North Carolina.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Durham Herald Sun.
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