Timberline Interactive

Back in 1989, Ann Clark started out with little more than a pig-shaped Christmas ornament and a dream. After years of painting and creating small handmade gifts for her children to give away, she set up shop in her garage and turned a hobby into a business. In 1991, armed with a small amount of start-up cash and unbridled enthusiasm, Ann tackled her first trade show, setting up a booth at the Philadelphia Gift Show with six cookie cutter designs and several other hand-made crafts. She came home with $3,500 in orders, and Ann Clark, the person, became Ann Clark, Ltd., the company.

Thirteen years of love and labor later, Ann’s creative flair and love for baking has produced a broad product line of handcrafted cookie cutters and associated giftware, making Ann Clark, Ltd. the largest cookie cutter company in the gift industry. With accounts throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, "The Cookie Cutter People from Vermont" are invited into the kitchens of consumers worldwide.

A Family Affair
With the success of Ann Clark, Ltd., cookie cutters became a family affair. Although very supportive from the outset, Ann’s late husband, John, was promoted to the more official role of Vice President in 1996. Her late son, John Jr., also served as a key player when he moved back to Vermont in 1996. Daughter Elizabeth joined the team as Sales Manager around the same time, and son Ben came on board as General Manager in 1998. Even granddaughters Margaret and Rebecca lend their services as cookie tasters, eagerly approving of Ann’s special butter cookie recipe handed down from her mother.

Ann Clark Ltd. is today the biggest American maker of cookie cutters, and the company recently commissioned an improved new ecommerce website, designed and built by Timberline Interactive on the CommerceV3 platform. The new website was launched June 15, 2009, featuring a new graphic look and feel, product ratings and reviews, cookie recipes, and registered user functionality including wholesale -- to support the large number of retail gift stores carrying Ann Clark products for resale.

The company produces about 250 cookie cutters in shapes ranging from traditional favorites like gingerbread men, stars, and heart-shaped cookie cutters to more contemporary novelties including martini glasses and high heeled shoes.

Ann Clark Ltd. also does a brisk corporate promotional business producing cookie cutters in the shape of company logos.

Each cookie cutter is handsomely packaged with a cookie recipe card. The product line includes traditional tin cookie cutters with handles, and -- even more nostalgic -- old school copper cookie cutters just like the ones in Grandma's kitchen.