Description: Wallace Amos Jr., (July 1, 1936 – August 13, 2024, was an American television personality, entrepreneur, and author from Tallahassee, Florida. He was the founder of the Famous Amos chocolate chip cookie, the Cookie Kahuna, and Aunt Della's Cookies gourmet cookie brands, and he was the host of the adult reading program, Learn to Read. Hand Autographed Signed Business Card Dated 1/3/98. Excellent Condition. Returning to New York City, Amos went to college to become a secretary, and after graduating, took a mailroom clerk job with the William Morris Agency. Eventually, he became the agency's first African American talent agent. He signed Simon & Garfunkel and headed the agency's rock n' roll department. Amos attracted clients by sending them chocolate chip cookies and an invitation to visit him. The musicians he represented included The Temptations, Sam Cooke, and Marvin Gaye. In 1975, a friend suggested to Amos that he set up a store to sell his cookies. In March of that year, the first Famous Amos cookie store opened in Los Angeles, California. He started the business with the help of a $25,000 loan from Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy. The company began to expand, and eventually, Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies could be found on supermarket shelves across the United States. He became such a known figure culturally that he appeared as himself in the Taxi episode "Latka's Cookies", in 1981. Thanks in part to the success of his cookie company, he was hired to deliver speeches. He wrote several books, many of which have a self-help theme, including The Cookie Never Crumbles and The Power in You. In 1979, Amos's long-time friend and publicist John Rosica introduced him to Literacy Volunteers of America. Amos advocated literacy and helped thousands of adults learn to read. In 1987, he hosted a television series designed to teach others how to read, entitled Learn N Read, produced by Kentucky Education Television and WXYZ TV. In 1986, Amos was awarded the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award by President Ronald Reagan at the White House Conference on Small Businesses Due to financial troubles, Amos was forced to sell the Famous Amos Company, and because the name "Famous Amos" was trademarked by his former company, he had to use The Uncle Noname's Cookie Company as his new company's name. A Famous Amos distributor at the time, Lou Avignone, heard Amos on a local radio talk show and, inspired by Amos's story of his early business success with Famous Amos and his spirit, contacted Amos with the idea of starting a new business. In 1994, the two became partners and subsequently launched Uncle Noname Gourmet Muffins. The company focused on fat-free, nutritious muffins at that time. Uncle Noname became Uncle Wally's Muffin Company in 1999. The muffins are sold in more than 3,500 stores nationwide. In 2014, an article in Fortune Magazine lauded "The cookie comeback of 'Famous' Wally Amos" as Amos brought back his handmade cookies under a new name, The Cookie Kahuna. These cookies were marketed in a store in Hawaii, where Amos was based. They come in the flavors original chocolate chip, chocolate chip with pecans, and butterscotch with macadamia nuts. Amos appeared on the reality television show Shark Tank in 2016, pitching Cookie Kahuna, but failed to get a deal. The business folded in 2018. In 2019, Amos was called "the King of cookies" by NBC affiliate KSNV TV in Las Vegas The net proceeds are donated between two different dog rescues. Thank you for your support. ALL MY ITEMS SOLD HAVE A 100% UNCONDITIONAL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
Price: 19.99 USD
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
End Time: 2024-12-01T18:18:01.000Z
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