Ice cream shops as commercial district activation devices

Nancy's Ice Cream in Colonial Beach, Virginia.

The previous entry mentions how in Everett, Massachusetts, planners are thinking about trying to get a ice cream shop to take space in their downtown, as a way to attract patrons.

For a few years, Dolci Gelato had a well-placed corner shop in Takoma Park, Maryland, which was jammed on summer evenings and during the Sunday Farmers Market, and likely was a great attractor and activator.

But this year, the organization converted the space to a bar as part of their adjoining Trattoria restaurant.  Old Town Takoma no longer has that very visible attractor as they've moved the gelato operation around the corner to an old no longer used bank teller drive up window.

More recently, on the Upshur commercial strip in Petworth, Lulabelle's has opened.  It's not on a corner but serves very popular ice cream and during the day--coffee beverages--helping to draw people to the district, especially kids attracted by the parallel display of candy including home-made marshmallows and other treats.

Mason's Creamery, Bridge Avenue and 44th Street, Cleveland, Ohio.

Of course, there are tons of places like this, such as Dolcetti Gelati in the 9th and 9th district in Salt Lake City or the Mason Creamery ice cream shop in Cleveland, which has been featured recently in newspaper ads by Google.

Mason's started as a food truck and selling ice cream at farmers markets, according to this article on the Cleveland Rocks, Cleveland Eats blog.

There is the down-side of the winter months however.

There are limited "solutions" to revenues dropping significantly during that time.  Lulabelle's has food, the aforementioned coffee drinks and candy, along with some gifts, to stoke sales during the months when ice cream is a slow seller.

Google video about Mason's Creamery and the use of various Google analytics and small business support services.


Planning by daypart and season.  The way to think about this, from the standpoint of commercial district revitalization planning, is planning the retail and entertainment (and programming/activation mix) by day of the week, month, season, and "daypart" ("breakfast/lunch/dinner/late-night," morning/afternoon/early evening/late evening," etc.).

Stoking the patronage of the district, at all times is a worthy endeavor.  Ice cream, frozen yogurt, and gelato shops are a way to do this starting in the spring and in the evenings.

Artisan popsicles being sold at the Petworth Farmers Market.

Where availability of space is an issue, even ice cream food trucks and vending carts may be worth considering as an alternative to no such provision at all.