Photo by Jon Anderson
Maria Gray
Maria Gray is a team leader at the Crumbl cookie shop in the Vestavia City Center. She just graduated from Ramsay High School in Birmingham and soon will be an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Alabama.
Q: How long have you worked here?
A: It will be two years in August.
Q: Have you had other jobs prior to this?
A: No, this is my first job actually.
Q: What made you decide you wanted to try this?
A: It seemed like a simple job to be honest. It seemed fun. I usually work with college students.
Q: What all do you do?
A: Make dough, bake cookies. I do a little bit of management stuff sometimes. I help set up for events. We were just at the SEC [Baseball] Tournament.
Q: What’s the best part of it for you?
A: I like meeting people. I like all my coworkers.
Q: Do you eat much of the cookies yourself?
A: I do. Employees — we get 50% on the four-pack, so I get those sometimes. And while we’re here, we get a free sample. I try several of them. I don’t like them all.
Q: What’s your favorite?
A: Anything like cookies and cream or Oreo.
Q: What is your bestseller?
A: Probably the pink sugar.
Q: What is the price range?
A: A single cookie is $4.49, and the [mini] cakes have a $1.49 upcharge.
Q: What do you like to do outside of work?
A: I like to hang out with my friends. Go to the movies. I like to go to the beach, too. I love the beach.
Q: To what beach do you go?
A: I usually go to Destin or Orange Beach.
Q: Do you live in Birmingham, too?
A: Yes
Q: What’s the best movie you’ve ever seen?
A: “Cars.” I love the original movie. The second and third — they don’t compare to the first one. The third one was actually terrible, in my opinion.
Q: What’s your favorite musician or band?
A: I like Jill Scott. She does R&B.
Q: Where would you see yourself in 10 years?
A: Definitely graduated from college. I would have my degree, and I would be working. I’m majoring in nursing. And I want to go back to school to get my doctorate in nursing.
Q: What type of nursing would you like to do?
A: I think I’m going to go into pediatrics. I really don’t like older people. Kids are easier to deal with.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you like to go?
A: I want to go to Japan. They have a nice culture, and I would like to experience that.
