History of Wally Amos in Timeline
Wallace Amos Jr., an American entrepreneur and television personality from Tallahassee, Florida, was the man behind the renowned Famous Amos chocolate chip cookie brand. He also founded Cookie Kahuna and Aunt Della's Cookies, showcasing his entrepreneurial spirit in the gourmet cookie industry. Beyond his culinary ventures, Amos was known for hosting "Learn to Read," an adult literacy program, highlighting his commitment to education.
July 1, 1936: Birth of Wally Amos
Wally Amos was born on July 1, 1936, in Tallahassee, Florida.
1954: Military Service at Hickam Air Force Base
Wally Amos began his military service at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1954.
1957: Honorable Discharge and High School Equivalency
In 1957, Wally Amos earned his high school equivalency diploma and was honorably discharged from the military.
1975: First Famous Amos Cookie Store Opens
With the help of a loan from Marvin Gaye and Helen Reddy, Wally Amos opened the first Famous Amos cookie store in Los Angeles, California in March 1975.
1977: Move to Hawaii
Wally Amos moved to Hawaii in 1977.
1979: Introduction to Literacy Volunteers of America
John Rosica introduced Wally Amos to Literacy Volunteers of America in 1979.
1981: Appearance in "Latka's Cookies" on Taxi
Wally Amos appeared as himself in the Taxi episode "Latka's Cookies" in 1981.
1986: Entrepreneurial Excellence Award
Wally Amos received the Entrepreneurial Excellence Award from President Ronald Reagan at the White House Conference on Small Business in 1986.
1987: "Learn to Read" Television Series
Wally Amos hosted the television series "Learn to Read", produced by Kentucky Educational Television and WXYZ-TV, in 1987.
1994: Launch of Uncle Noname Gourmet Muffins
Wally Amos partnered with Lou Avignone to launch Uncle Noname Gourmet Muffins in 1994.
1999: Uncle Noname Becomes Uncle Wally's Muffin Company
Uncle Noname became Uncle Wally's Muffin Company in 1999.
2014: The Cookie Kahuna Launch
Wally Amos launched his new cookie brand, The Cookie Kahuna, in Hawaii in 2014.
2016: Appearance on Shark Tank
Wally Amos appeared on the reality television show Shark Tank to pitch Cookie Kahuna in 2016.
2018: Closure of The Cookie Kahuna
The Cookie Kahuna business closed in 2018.
2018: Move to Columbia, South Carolina
Wally Amos moved to Columbia, South Carolina, in 2018 to work on Aunt Della's Cookies.
2019: "King of Cookies"
Wally Amos was called "the King of cookies" by NBC affiliate KSNV-TV in Las Vegas in 2019.
2020: Release of "The Great Cookie Comeback: reBaking Wally Amos"
Content Media Group released the documentary "The Great Cookie Comeback: reBaking Wally Amos", directed by Jeff MacIntyre, in 2020.
August 13, 2024: Death of Wally Amos
Wally Amos passed away on August 13, 2024.
August 2024: Wally Amos Living in Hawaii
Wally Amos was living in Hawaii at the time of his death in August 2024.