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Handcrafted, Family-Run Ice Cream Purveyor Brings Deliciously Interesting Ice Cream to Ballard and Capitol Hill Neighborhoods this month
Salt & Straw, the iconic, Portland, Oregon-based, family-run ice cream company known for its taste provoking, imaginative ice cream creations, will open their first Seattle scoop shops this month. The Ballard shop, located at 5420 Ballard Avenue NW, will open on Friday, February 9. On the following Friday, February 16, the Capitol Hill shop located at 714 E Pike Street will open its doors. Both shops will be open daily from 11am-11pm.
The Seattle scoop shops will feature a menu of 17 flavors including beloved classic flavors like Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons, Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache and Honey Lavender. In addition to the favorite flavors found in all Salt & Straw shops, a menu of flavors has been crafted especially for Seattle by co-founder and head ice cream maker, Tyler Malek. Local flavors will highlight collaborations with regional artisans: Elm Coffee and Westland Whiskey, Beecher’s Cheese, Ellenos Yogurt, and Rachel’s Ginger Beer. Guests are encouraged to sample as many flavors as they would like, as they get to know the Salt & Straw ever-evolving ice cream menu and explore flavors they didn’t know they’d love. Scoops will be available in a cup or handmade waffle cone. Guests can also enjoy full pint milkshakes made with any of the shop’s 17 flavors, or dig into special sundaes. Whole pints of all flavors are also available.
Every month, Salt & Straw creates new seasonal flavors made with locally sourced ingredients to reflect the food communities in which they reside. For February and March, Tyler has created a Seattle Chocolatier Series of five flavors, joining forces with area chocolatiers: Fran’s Chocolates, Theo Chocolate and Intrigue Chocolate Co. in Seattle, Forté Artisan Chocolate in Bellingham, and Fresco Chocolate in Lynden. Tyler created the Chocolatier Series to share the stories and techniques of each chocolatier, saying: “I hope that when customers try each of these flavors that they can experience a genuine connection; I wanted to give people a chance to be taken through a chocolate tour of their community.”
Tyler, who grew up in Snohomish and attended Western Washington University in Bellingham, sees similarities to Portland’s agriculture and ingredients but recognizes that Seattle has a distinct voice of its own. “I know Seattle well, so there is great familiarity for me,” says Tyler. “But from a partnership aspect, Seattle is like all cities combined into one. There are heritage brands that I am so honored to learn from, like Fran’s, but also exciting, new pioneering brands like Intrigue Chocolate. I think Seattle is open to adventure and friendly to innovation.” Before the doors open at the Ballard and Capitol Hill shops, Salt & Straw is offering opportunities for the Seattle community to get a preview of the ice cream:
As much creative thought is given to each shop’s interior design as it is to the ice cream flavors and culinary collaborations. Designer Andee Hess of Osmose Design based in Portland, Oregon, strives to create a distinct mood that supports the ethos of the brand in each Salt & Straw store. Says Andee: “We want each store to feel natural, creative and inventive and share a local artist connection.” Signature store elements include terrazzo tile, custom pattern oak parquet floors, and a waffle cone graphic on the walls created by Portland’s Pattern People. All elements are specifically crafted to elicit a feeling of “nostalgic detailing updated.”
Andee collaborated with Seattle artists to commission installations that will serve as a visual centerpiece in each shop. For Ballard, Darin Montgomery of Urban Case created an 8ft. linear, custom light fixture of lights and spheres, to represent an “abstraction of ice cream”. For Capitol Hill, Andee collaborated with lighting designer Erich Ginder, to fashion a large “crafted tapestry” light fixture.
The Seattle shops will uphold the community-centric philosophy upon which the company was founded. They will partner annually with local schools, organizations that support basic rights and equality as well as those who are fighting childhood food insecurity. They will also focus on local job creation and training to hire locally. Advancement of internal team members is encouraged via a management in training program. The company offers extensive training programs such as hospitality, food safety, and leadership, as well as a generous benefits package that includes access to affordable, high-quality health care, family leave, employee assistance, disability insurance and paid time off for both full and part-time employees.
“For me, opening in Seattle is like a homecoming; it’s very exciting,” says co-founder, Kim Malek. I spent many years living and working in Seattle and now I get to spend time back in the city that I love with so many people that I know. Salt & Straw was built on the idea that to be a strong business you need to be an integral part of the community, we look forward to being that partner in Seattle.”
Ballard Shop
5420 Ballard Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
(206) 294-5581
Capitol Hill Shop
714 E Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 258-4574
ABOUT SALT & STRAW: Salt & Straw Ice Cream is a family-run, ice cream company known for their taste provoking, imaginative ice cream creations. The company was founded by cousins Kim and Tyler Malek in Portland OR in 2011 and presently has kitchens and scoop shops in Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. Every ice cream flavor is handmade in small five to ten-gallon batches in local kitchens using only all-natural cream from nearby farms and the best local, organic and sustainable ingredients. Classic flavors are joined by seasonal flavor menus that rotate every four weeks and vary from city to city. Their ice cream is available for online purchase and can be shipped anywhere in the United States. Salt & Straw’s strong community roots and dedication to giving back drives everything they do, from collaborating with artisans and farmers, to hiring from within their community to actively supporting local schools and raising awareness for issues like childhood hunger, and equal rights. Find more information at www.saltandstraw.com or call 971-271-8168. Follow us on Facebook at Salt and Straw Ice Cream, Twitter and Instagram: @SaltandStraw.
Photo credit to Salt and Straw Facebook
