Grand Opening Of New Ice Cream Joy Shop In Lakewood!
I'm very excited to announce the grand opening of my new ice cream shop, Ice Cream Joy, on June 20th at 11:00 a.m.! The first 5 people in the door that morning will receive a punch card good for 6 free scoops of ice cream that they can start using that day! There will also be raffles throughout the day so everyone has a chance at winning free ice cream, Ice Cream Joy shirts, or messenger bags.
The shop is located at 15210 Madison Avenue next to Fear's Confections, who in turn is next to Elmwood Bakery. This spot on Madison is now a haven for dessert lovers where you can find something sweet at just about any time of day. I'm thrilled with my location and my sweet neighbors. I'm already working on pairing up with Fear's Confections with their chocolate in the ice cream, brownies and hot fudge for sundaes, and brownie ice cream cakes for starters (sundaes and cakes are still in development as of writing this). There's always plenty more to come up with and I love the creative aspect of coming up with and working out new ideas.
As a Lakewood resident, I felt that Lakewood, especially Madison Avenue, was lacking the kind of ice cream I want when I go out for it. I know I'm close to a long-standing Lakewood landmark and I think Malley's has a lot to offer. My plan is more to supplement the ice cream that's already here with mostly different and unusual flavors. I offer artisan ice cream, vegan flavors, and fresh fruit sorbets and ices, all of which I make from scratch in small batches at the shop. Flavors rotate, and may or may not include: Pixie Dust, Hazelnut Malt, Raspberry White Chocolate Balsamic, Vegan Dark Chocolate Whiskey Pretzel, Vegan Cayenne Sweet Potato Pecan, Mojito Sorbet, Simple Strawberry Sorbet, and much more! My inspiration for flavors comes from many places: maybe an ingredient I think would be neat, different foods I like, childhood memories, and suggestions or challenges from others, to name a few.
I also want to talk to you a little about my focus on sustainability. For starters, I am sourcing as many ingredients locally as possible. This is not only good for the environment because food travels less; it also helps to sustain the local economy! For example, I use Wholesome Valley Farms via Fresh Fork Market for grass-fed milk and cream, radiCLE Roots for pure and flavored nut milks for vegan flavors (also for sale by the bottle), Fear's Confections for chocolate, Old City Soda for (you guessed it) sodas, with more in the works all the time. Other sustainable practices that I implemented during and after construction of the shop include: a drinking fountain to avoid cup and water waste, a ceiling fan and awnings to reduce the need for additional air conditioning units, washing spoons used for sampling and/or eating treats in the shop, composting via Rust Belt Riders, planting fresh mint and basil in the shop to use in various flavors, and recycling. I am also planning on buying compostable to-go containers, getting people into my Cute Little Ice Cream Bowl Club (local artists make the bowls, you buy them and bring them back each time for a discount on ice cream!), bike safety nights with discounts, and replacing my dipper well with a RinseWell to substantially reduce water usage (once it passes beta testing). If you have any other suggestions or recommendations for sustainable practices, let me know!!!
I opened the shop on May 10th and have been doing a "soft" opening to work out as many issues as possible before the grand opening. My hours right now are Monday - Friday from 5-9pm, Saturday from 12-9pm, and Sunday from 12-7pm. After the grand opening on June 20th, summer hours will be Monday - Friday from 11-9, Saturday from 11-10, and Sunday from 11-7.
Prices are mini for $3, single for $4, double for $6, flights for $8, pints for $9, with more to be determined soon as products are added! Please try a flavor before you buy it so you know you like it. Or if you want to get a bunch and can't decide, choose a flight of 6 tiny scoops for $8. You never know, you might find a new favorite! And make sure you bring your Flavor Passport back each time so you can earn a free scoop after buying 8.
One more note: the construction is almost over and the street will be awesome when it’s done! In the meantime, there’s parking on side streets and a public parking lot across from Barrio about 2 blocks west of the shop.
Check out my website, iScreamJoy.com, for more info. You can also follow the action via FaceBook.com/iScreamJoy and Twitter.com/iScreamJoy. Please stop in the shop sometime and discover new favorites! I can’t wait to share my ice cream with you!
Marissa Flynn
Lakewood resident, owner and flavor inventor at Ice Cream Joy