Friends had Central Perk; Boy Meets World had Chubbie’s; and by the end of spring semester, students will have late-night college town staple Insomnia Cookies.

“Who doesn’t like cookies?” said junior Jewish studies major Sophie Weiss.

Insomnia Cookies, a bakery franchise, sells cookies, brownies and cake among other desserts. The franchise has more than 60 branches nationwide, with most locations found near institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, Syracuse University and New York University.

Insomnia Cookies also offers a late-night delivery service, which makes it especially popular among students.

“There’s tons of nights when I’m like ‘I just want a cookie’ and run to 7-Eleven and get cookie dough,” said Reena Patel, a junior family science major. “It would be so nice to have [Insomnia Cookies] around.”

But many undergraduate students don’t remember Insomnia Cookies’ first attempt to build its presence in College Park.

After three rocky years of multiple managers and slow delivery, Insomnia Cookies’ first College Park location closed in 2008, according to an article written by Kristi Tousignant, a former staff writer for The Diamondback. The bakery occupied a space in Terrapin Station, the building that houses restaurants such as Slices, Kiyoko Express and Ovo Simply Veggie.

Insomnia Cookies opened on Route 1 in 2005 and shared its space with Tasti D-Lite, a long-gone ice cream and frozen yogurt chain, according to The Baltimore Sun.

In spite of its reputation, students at the time were disappointed to lose the bakery that delivered College Park a sense of town character and style.

However, with increased emphasis on College Park’s and Route 1’s revitalizations, this time Insomnia Cookies might be able to find a permanent home in the area.

“We look for locations with an active community that we can really become a part of,” said Courtney Altamura, Insomnia Cookies’ marketing manager. “College Park was an easy decision in that regard.”

Though the Hotel at the University of Maryland, Terrapin Row, ArtHouse and the Landmark apartment complex projects are attracting new businesses to College Park, there is no confirmation regarding whether Insomnia Cookies will face competition.

“I don’t think we have something that caters to that, like the late-night dessert option isn’t something we really have,” Patel said. “[Insomnia Cookies] is at a lot of other campuses and it does really well.”

Weiss agreed.

“I think opening Insomnia is a really great idea,” Weiss said. “All the ice cream places close early – we don’t have really anywhere you can get fresh baked goods.”

Altamura said Insomnia Cookies is projected to open before the end of spring semester, occupying 4435 Lehigh Road, by the Potbelly Sandwich Shop on Route 1.

Insomnia Cookies will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. with cookie delivery from noon to close.

“I know if [Insomnia Cookies] didn’t open, we would get another pizza place, which I don’t think College Park can handle right now,” Weiss said.

Alana Pedalino is a sophomore journalism major and can be reached at Alana.pedalino@gmail.com.