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A life in Tallahassee founded a cookie kingdom

Employee and archive reports
| Democrat from Tallahassee

Wally Amos, a former Tallahassee resident who built a cookie kingdom, died Thursday in Hawaii.

The Florida native, who became known worldwide as Famous Amos in the late 1970s and 1980s, “died peacefully at home surrounded by his wife Carol after a battle with dementia,” Amos' children said in a statement, according to media reports. He was 88 years old.

Amos was born in Tallahassee's Smoky Hollow neighborhood, a thriving black community in what is now downtown Tallahassee, but many residents were forced to move due to the construction of the Apalachee Parkway in the 1950s and the subsequent construction of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Amos moved to New York City at the age of 12 to live with an aunt. Although he didn't have particularly fond memories of his childhood in Tallahassee, he never forgot where it all began.

“That was back when there was still racial segregation,” he told a Democratic reporter after a visit in 2006. “There was racism everywhere, and it was just not a good time for me. Today I can say that I am proud to be from Tallahassee. It was the best trip ever.”

He visited his birthplace several times, including in 2006, 1995 and 1994, when Democratic entertainment columnist Mark Hinson was there to cover his homecoming.

From the archive: The Cookie King comes home

10 September 1994 – Wally Amos pulls a plump Scuppernong out of a plastic bag and examines the bunch with the same admiration with which a jeweler would study a valuable ruby.

“This is absolutely amazing,” Amos says with awe and enjoyment. “I haven't had anything like this since I left Tallahassee. And that was in 1948.”

Amos – a Tallahassee native who rose to world fame in the late '70s and '80s as the cookie king Famous Amos – silences the crowd at the bookstore waiting in line to get his autograph.

“This is a moment of ecstasy,” he says, slowly biting into the grape.

“Oh man, that’s how good I remember it,” says Amos, smiling his infectious grin.

Sometimes, it seems, you can go home again.

Amos, 58, was on home soil Friday to promote his new book, “Man With No Name: Turn Lemons into Lemonade,” advocate for his passion for literacy, visit school children, give motivational speeches, spread his infectious positivity and meet some old friends from the neighborhood.

“You know me?” says a woman in a red dress standing over the table where Amos is signing books.

“Help me,” he says, “it’s been a long time.”

Pause.

“I’m Willie Mae, I’m Robert’s wife,” she finally says.

“Oh my God,” laughs Amos. “I grew up next to Robert. Does he still speak as slowly as he used to?”

“Yes, I spoke to him last night,” says Willie Mae Fisher, laughing. “He still speaks slowly.”

Amos howls and stamps his feet, which are encased in a pair of socks that must be woven in Technicolor. He is obviously enjoying all this attention.

Amos grew up in a three-bedroom house in the Smoky Hollow community, right next to the railroad tracks. His house still stands – a small pink number on Lafayette Street behind Chili's restaurant.

“I came back (to Smoky Hollow) and it hasn't changed one bit,” Amos says. “It's frozen in time.”

His mother was a domestic servant, his father worked at the nearby natural gas plant. When they divorced in the late 1940s, Amos was sent to live with an aunt in Manhattan.

“My Aunt Della taught me the love of homemade chocolate chip cookies,” he says.

After a stint in the Air Force, Amos became the first African-American agent for the powerful William Morris talent agency.

“I was in the right place at the right time, had the right color,” Amos says jokingly.

And it didn't hurt that the guy had enough energy and charisma to put a smile on even the biggest pessimist's face.

In the 1960s, Amos worked with such well-known entertainers as Simon & Garfunkel, Helen Reddy and Marvin Gaye.

These connections helped him financially when Amos had enough of the entertainment industry and decided to open a chocolate chip cookie shop in Los Angeles on March 10, 1975 (Amos has a remarkable ability to remember specific dates). It proved to be a goldmine and grew into a nationwide business.

By the mid-1980s, however, Amos had overextended himself with investors and suddenly found himself robbed of the company he had built from scratch. In addition, Amos was prohibited from using the nickname Famous Amos.

“I messed it up,” Amos says. “I'm not a victim… I lost it because of the mistakes I made. I was a little irresponsible.”

This led to Amos's newborn Uncle Noname Cookie Company, his memoir “Man with No Name,” in which he describes his legal nightmares and his journey home.

“When people asked me where I was from, I always told them I was from New York City,” says Amos as he signs another book at the Black Cat News Exchange downtown.

“For years, I didn't have good memories of Tallahassee – I grew up during segregation. But when I came back to visit in 1981 and returned to my old neighborhood, I realized that a big part of who I am came from here. From this community. Now I'm proud to be from Tallahassee.”

A young fan comes to the table with another book.

“Mr. Amos, will you sign my book?”

“What is this Mister stuff?” he asks. “Call me Wally. Never call a guy with funny socks Mister.”

Then Amos offers her some scuppernongs.

“They are really great,” he says.

Wally Amos visited local schools with an inspiring message

Tuesday, 19 December 1995 – During a recent trip to his old homestead, Wally Amos took the time to share a motivational message with students at Lincoln High School, Wesson Elementary School and Nims Middle School.

Amos speaks with the wisdom he has gained through years of ups and downs in his life. He has learned that attitude is the key to everything.

“You get from life what you give,” he said, “so respect yourself and always do your best.”

Amos is convinced that there is no such thing as a “self-made man” and says: “That’s a lie! To be successful, you need the help of others.”

Since you never know who might be next to offer a “crucial piece of the puzzle,” he encouraged students to maintain a positive attitude and treat others well.

“Your attitude,” he concluded, “will create your reality.”

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