Up until now, the hardest thing about buying Girls Scout Cookies had been the weeks you wait after placing your order.
Now, the hardest thing might be trying to figure out just when to stop buying the sweet and savory morsels that have arguably replaced apple pie in the pantheon of Americana.
That's because the wait is over.
Ralston's Girl Scout Troop 45492 is now selling Girl Scout Cookies directly to the consumer at several area retail outlets.
"We're really happy about it," said Cheryl Lentsch, leader of Troop 45492. "So far, we've done really well and had a lot of customers coming to buy. It's easier and people can get the cookies earlier."
The girls will also go door to door for the typical Girl Scout Cookie-selling experience, but getting a chance to peddle the eight varieties at stores is proving to be a popular plan.
Ella Johnson, a first-grader at Blumfield Elementary School, helped sell at the Troop 45492 booths during the last two weekends.
"It's fun," said Ella, who is in her second year as a Girl Scout.
"I felt grown up. We got to talk to people and tell them about the cookies we were selling."
Doing the conventional door-to-door sales last year, Ella managed to sell 165 boxes of cookies.
She said she hopes to sell even more this year between the booth and her door-to-door work and, given her ability to describe some of the varieties, she shouldn't have much trouble.
"I have a few favorites," she began. "Thin Mints, Lemonades, Shout Outs and Thanks-A-Lots. Those are the best ones."
If a few of those sound unfamiliar, Ella said they're definitely worth a taste.
In addition to classics like the all-time best-selling Thin Mints (25 percent of all Girl Scout Cookie sales), Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Peanut Butter Patties, Caramel deLites and Shortbreads, the girls are selling the aforementioned Lemonades (a shortbread cookie with lemon icing), Shout Outs (a Belgian caramelized cookie akin to gingerbread) and Thanks-A-Lots (a shortbread cookie dipped in chocolate and inscribed with a thank you message).
Lentsch said the booth sales have not only helped the sale of cookies, but is also providing the 17 Girl Scouts in Troop 45492 with lessons in salesmanship and customer service.
"The girls are making change, they're describing the product," Lentsch said. "They're meeting a whole variety of different people and learning how to best interact with someone who is a customer and practice some of those business skills. It's been a very rewarding opportunity."
If you're among those who can't wait to get your hands on some Girl Scout Cookies, Troop 45492 will be selling at the following times and locations:
Y Saturday, Jan. 28, 9 a.m. to noon at No Frills Supermarket, 84th St. and Giles Road, La Vista.
Y Sunday, Jan. 29, 1 to 4 p.m. at SuperSaver, 5710 S. 144th St., Omaha.
Y Saturday, Feb. 4, noon to 3 p.m. at Bag & Save Supermarket, 108th and Q streets.
Y Sunday, Feb. 12, noon to 3 p.m. at Kmart, 5508 S. 144th St., Omaha
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