VALDOSTA — Offer $1 gourmet cinnamon rolls to the people of Valdosta, and they’ll come out in droves.

That’s exactly what happened during Cinnaholic’s grand opening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning.

The gourmet cinnamon rolls chain invited the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce and other guests to join its staff on the first day of business.

“Valdosta has been waiting for something like this,” said Peter Sorrentino, owner. “We sell our gourmet cinnamon rolls in major cities across the country, and it’s time for Valdosta to enjoy it.”

The line of customers waiting to try this new business’ goodies wrapped around the strip of stores that neighbor Cinnaholic and into the back parking lot.

Sorrentino said guests started lining up at the door at 8 a.m. — two hours before the grand opening celebration.

“We feel blessed to bring this to Valdosta,” he said.

Grand opening offerings included $1 cinnamon rolls from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., free T-shirts for the first 200 customers and free cinnamon rolls for a year for 12 random guests.

Right at 10 a.m., when the store will normally open every day of the week, the chamber brought out the ribbon and scissors and had Sorrentino and his staff commemorate its opening.

“We would like to say congratulations on your grand opening,” said Sally Sutton, a chamber ambassador. “All of the ambassadors are here from the chamber. We’re all from different industries, so if there is ever anything we can do to help you out, all you have to do is let us know.”

Cinnaholic started in San Francisco in 2010 by Shannon and Florian Radke, who loved desserts just as much as they loved their plant-based diets.

Combining the two ideas birthed the gourmet bakery, which appear on an episode of “Shark Tank” in 2014.

Since, the chain has expanded to 13 states from coast to coast. The cinnamon rolls are do it yourself with 18 frosting flavors and a variety of toppings.

Other menu items include brownies, cookies, baby buns, cookie dough and drinks.

The Valdosta bakery is located at 1609 Norman Drive and is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.