Kirkwood's 'Cookie-Man' Sets Deeper Roots in the Community

With his purchase of Majic Market, Keith "Cookie-Man" Willis tightens his ties to the community where he's lived for 30 years.

Keith Willis has three children. Two of them, he calls traitors. The sons have moved to Webster Groves and Kansas City ("to chase a female") and as such, they're the traitors. His daughter is still in Kirkwood, like Keith and his wife, Paula, who have lived there for 30 years. Willis deepened those roots in December when he and his wife Paula purchased Majic Market, the longtime deli and convenience store in the community. After years working in an area bank, Willis ended up losing his job nine years ago in a restructuring. At the prodding of Paula, he went into business for himself, harnessing his love for cooking into a successful catering business called The Everyday Gourmet. His wife worked for a pharmaceutical sales company and told …

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Owen Skoler

3:30 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Thanks Samuel. It's been fixed.   more ›

Majic Market Changes Hands; New Owners Include 'Cookie-Man'

The new owners have a background in sales and catering and took over the 40-plus-year-old institution in December.

Thanks to a delicious cookie, a Kirkwood institution for the last 40 years now has a new owner. Keith and Paula Willis bought Majic Market in December after Keith "The Cookie-Man" started hunting around for a way to expand his business in custom-made, hefty and locally famous chocolate chip cookies. Willis told Patch he started the cookie business about five years ago after starting his catering business. He sells cookies to Kirkwood High School and some local retailers. But with capacity at his home to make only 40 cookies in a batch, he was looking for a way to expand. And that's when he started eyeing Majic Market, where owner Jacob Portnoy was looking to retire. "He had a great staff, with lots of experience," Willis said. "I could …

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Troops Get Holiday Surprise Via Kirkwood Market

Gifts collected from a St. Louis-area Support Our Troops Drive made their way overseas and brought smiles to the faces of soldiers of the Missouri Army National Guard's 3175th Chemical Company.

Presents came early this holiday season for a group of soldiers stationed overseas thanks to Kirkwood's Majic Market and a St. Louis-area non-profit. The deli and convenience store served as a drop-off location for a Support Our Troops drive for the men and women of the Missouri Army National Guard's 3175th Chemical Company based at Jefferson Barracks. The drive was headed by All About Paws Rescue. (See: Kirkwood Market Sends 'Majic' Overseas) Members of the company, who are stationed in Qatar as part of a year-long base security mission, recently received gifts from the drive and a reminder of how they are supported back home. Click the video to watch their reaction as they unwrap the holiday goodies. Like Majic Market and All About Paws …

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Business Spotlight

Kirkwood Market Sends 'Majic' Overseas

The longtime Kirkwood deli and convenience store is lending its hand as a drop-off location for a collection of wish list items for men and women serving overseas.

We all know Majic Market as a culinary Kirkwood institution, but the now the market is extending its reach overseas. The deli and convenience store is a drop-off location for a Support Our Troops Drive for the men and women of the 3175th Chemical Company based at Jefferson Barracks. The campaign is headed by All About Paws Rescue and runs through Nov. 1. For the employees of Majic Market, the drive has a special meaning. Shayne Jones, son of Majic Market manager Leigh Jones, is currently serving in Afghanistan. Collected items will be bundled as care packages to ensure troops receive items for Christmas and to let them know they are appreciated and supported, said Kim King of All About Paws Rescue. But the collection isn't the only …

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Sauce Magazine Sits Down With Majic Market Owner

In the August issue of the St. Louis food publication, Jacob Portnoy discusses his business and his background. The first part of the interview is on page 48 of the print publication. This link is to the second part of the interview.

CORRECTION: Majic Market Reopens Friday

Majic Market, the longtime Kirkwood deli known for its gyro sandwich, returns to Kirkwood with a grand opening Friday morning. Formerly housed at 500 W. Essex Ave., the deli and convenience store temporarily closed its doors earlier this year. Upon learning that renewing a lease at the old location was not an option, owner Jacob Portnoy immediately began working to secure a new space in Kirkwood. "I really wanted to stay with the customers in Kirkwood," Portnoy said in an earlier article. The new market is located at 640 W. Woodbine Ave., across from the 7-Eleven and will feature the same menu. The most notable menu item is the gyro sandwich, which features a homemade sauce. Portnoy has estimated that the sandwich accounts for half of all …

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