When you walk into 23 and Co.’s rustic interior, you’re immediately greeted by a display of freshly baked cookies and hit with the scent of browned butter and caramel.
Tucked into a historic limestone building, this beloved local cookie business finally opened its own storefront on Brock Street. It’s the realization of owner Krista Gill’s decades-long dream—and it all started years ago when her husband Todd Gill, then a Toronto Maple Leaf, was craving a sweet treat before one of his games.
“My husband and I got married and he played hockey for a living. He was looking for a sweet treat to accompany his cup of coffee on the way to the arena on a game day. And I said, ‘Okay, well, what would you like?’ And he thought a chocolate chip cookie would be a good idea. So, I started making chocolate chip cookies,” Krista says.
After Krista glossed through many cookbooks, trials, and taste tests, she developed the “OG” Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie—now made fresh every day in her store’s kitchen. The name 23 and Co. is an ode to Todd’s jersey number and its important place in Krista’s family history.
Encouraged by her children, Krista eventually turned her cookie-making expertise into a business and began selling cookies at farmers’ markets and other local businesses, until finally deciding in 2025 to start to look for her own store front.
“For a while, I thought maybe I missed my chance,” Krista says. “But I learned this was the right time.”
Krista snagged the location on Brock Street —a warm, historical space filled with original limestone and custom cabinetry. There’s a unity to the space as the brown- accented store matches both the cookies the boxes come in and the sweet chocolate stuffed into the baked goods.
Since opening this year, 23 and Co. has quickly become a community favourite. While the OG cookie remains the top seller, it’s just one of many flavours.
“We started with just two doughs—classic chocolate chip and double fudge,” Krista says. “Now, we’ve got molasses, oatmeal raisin, sea-salted caramel, peanut butter, and seasonal ones too.”
She’s recently perfected a dark chocolate espresso cookie. Krista is considering seasonal flavours as well, like pumpkin snickerdoodle for the autumn, as well as a variety of festive cookies for Christmas, possibly including classic tastes like gingerbread, peppermint, and cozy spice blends.
Each cookie is baked fresh daily, with dough that’s often cured overnight for the perfect chew. While you can still place special orders online, the shop is where the real magic happens, Krista explains.
I love seeing people’s faces when they walk in,” she says. “That interaction, that joy—it’s why I do this.
