Seeking any bakery or other establishment that sells freshly baked, chewy cookies (preferably of the chocolate chip persuasion). Any leads?

Try 'as you like' in the listings, but be prepared to pay for a good cookie.. Wicker basket also has fresh baked , but don't remember them being chewey.

Leave them out for a day or two and they should become softer. Gross but nice. Otherwise, subway has the ones you are looking for. Different flavors.

AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FOLKS WHO MADE THOSE EXCELLENT BOX COOKIES OF LEGEND? WHY AREN'T THEY ON THE JOB??? (oh, oops, sorry, that was all in caps)

You can have my cookies; I always delete them anyway.

Italian biscotti can be found at the Green supermarket in Banzhu place by the railtracks

Honestly for good soft cookies you'd be better off baking them yourself. Soft cookies aren't really a thing in China, and if you do find them they probably won't be worth the cost.