Nox Cookie Bar founder leaps from software to chocolate chips
After a career working for tech companies including Sybase and SAP, Nathan Pendelton decided to become an entrepreneur and start a business that would fulfill a need. The need, it happens, was his own hunger working late nights in the office. He was looking for a quick, comfortable snack that could be delivered and figured others would be, too.
And that’s how Nox Cookie Bar was born.
For the past two years, Nox — it’s Latin for “night” — has delivered warm cookies and cold milk to downtown San Jose office workers and students at San Jose State University. The cookies have also been a hit at downtown events like Music in the Park. On Wednesday, Nox Cookie Bar had the grand opening for its walk-in location on South Second Street near Paseo de San Antonio, where customers can get their choice of snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin, peanut butter, chocolate chip ‘ n chunk and more. Nox is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m., which is timed to catch the late-night downtown crowd and others who might get the “munchies.”
Delivery service will continue, Pendelton said, but opening a retail spot allowed Nox to expand its offerings to include 10 flavors of San Jose’s Treat Ice Cream. Customers can grab a scoop or make a “nox’wich,” if they’re into the ice cream sandwich trend.
With his business background, Pendleton spent six months building business and marketing plans and, most important, testing cookie recipes. “My favorite has to be the chocolate chip ‘ n chunk but I gotta tell you, an oatmeal raisin in the morning with a cup of coffee is pretty special.”
And you can still get a cold glass of milk, too.
INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST » San Jose’s Don Ryker has cerebral palsy but that has not stopped him from achieving many of his goals in life, including becoming a professional artist whose work has been displayed at the Triton Museum, the Carmen Castellano Art Gallery and Gallery 85. Because his use of his arms and hands are limited, Ryker paints with his head, using a brush attached to a special hardhat. It’s an amazing process, and one that’ll he be sharing on Sunday at the Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose.
Ryker will be at the museum to demonstrate his technique from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the museum will have 10-15 hardhats that have been adapted like his so visitors can experiment using Ryker’s tools and methods.
“There’s no better way to teach children about inclusiveness, determination, and overcoming adversity than to introduce them to someone as remarkable as Don,” Children’s Discovery Museum Executive Director Marilee Jennings said. “He may have physical limitations, but Don chooses not to be defined by them, and instead sees and creates beauty in the world every day. He’s truly an inspiration and example for us all.”
“Everyone Can Create,” and an exhibition of Ryker’s work, will be on display through April 15. Sunday’s workshop is included in the price of museum admission. Go to www.cdm.org for details. WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? » The South First Fridays Art Walk returns to downtown San Jose this week, and it’s also the opening of Works/San Jose’s annual “(Anti) Valentine Show.” The provocative show always manages to brutally rip the heart right out of Valentine’s Day, but the pieces — 140 Bay Area artists participated this year — often beautifully capture the darker emotions associated with love and romance.
While the show opens Friday, there’s an artists’ reception on Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. It runs through Feb. 18, when it’ll close with an art pick-up party. You can get a preview of the show at workssanjose.org and get a look at the rest of the South First Fridays offerings at www. southfirstfridays.com.