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Washington Evening Journal
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Dinosaurs invade Dollar Tree parking lot
I Heart Cookies provided more than sweet treats as they visited Mt. Pleasant last week
MT. PLEASANT — Faces lit up as imaginations enjoyed free rein in the Dollar Tree Parking lot last Thursday afternoon with a visit from I Heart Cookies.
Thanks to deep dish cookies, animatronic dinosaurs, enthusiastic employees, and a visit from Transformer character Bumblebee, childlike joy spread to those in attendance at the I Heart Cookies pop-up event.
“We came for the cookies and were happy to see the entertainment,” Justin Bentler said of his experience bringing his 18-month-old daughter Payton to grab a sweet treat.
For Morgan Redman said the opposite was true for her five-year-old son Mason, “He didn’t even care about the cookies.”
Another enthusiastic guest, Killian Gonzalez said he also came for the entertainment instead of the cookies. Anyone could easily see who Killian came to visit simply by looking at his transformer’s shirt.
“I have an Optimus Prime shirt!” Killian exclaimed as he raved about meeting Bumblebee at the event.
No matter which part of the event drew people to the I Heart Cookies trailer, the employees made sure they left with a memorable experience.
According to employee Payton Smith, he has seen the experience grow in his one year with the company.
“This is more important than what goes on in the trailer,” Smith said. “We try to make it as immersive as possible.”
Smith remembered the first time he traveled to Iowa from with the Kansas based company.
“We only had a transformer then,” Smith said. “And the transformers used to just stand and wave at people, but you really have to get into it now.”
Smith put this philosophy into action as he picked up a baby dinosaur puppet and walked around the event.
He made sure the baby did not merely sit in his arms, but that as the children reached for it, it would move and interact with them. This brought laughter and squeals from many.
Those actually inside the Bumblebee and Raptor costumes also lived out the importance of interacting and creating an experience.
As a group of children closed in the Raptor, the actor inside pulled out all the stops and whipped his head back and forth while playfully snapping at the kids.
When it was Bumblebee’s turn to visit with the crowds Lane Matzeder didn’t hesitate to do significantly more than stand and wave.
As songs like Thriller or the Cupid Shuffle came across the speakers, Matzeder showed off all Bumblebee’s dance moves.
He engaged with each individual that approached him with dabs, high-fives, and posing for photos.
While the event only lasted a few hours, I Heart Cookies are sure to return.
Until then, the traveling deep-dish cookie company will make their way around the Midwest providing sweet treats and even sweeter memories.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com
