Over the course of 5 years, we’ve gone through a host of changes including a move, the opening (and closing) of a sister business, an unfolding expansion, and so much more. It really has been a rollercoaster of events. But through it all, we’ve remained committed to hand-crafted, wholesome, scratch made products with very intentionally sourced ingredients – predominantly from local/Michigan producers and organic / sustainability-minded companies. We continue to strive for transparency in all aspects of our small business. And we credit that (plus our incredible staff and loyal patrons) to our success over the last half decade.
Love’s started back in the summer of 2013 with a lot of enthusiasm and a healthy dose of naivety. We certainly wouldn’t call ourselves experts back then and had no idea how much we’d learn over the coming months and years. And to say that 5 years has flown by is a gross understatement. Our humble beginnings back in the middle of the Downtown Market hall (where Sushi Market currently resides) reflect a time of intense learning and growth as we figured out how in the world to run an ice cream shop. Trial and error are the best words to describe our first year. Because the Downtown Market opened in late summer, we had just under a month before the cooler weather started kicking in. It was a tough first year. We were entertaining the idea of catering events, to-go pints, and restaurant collaborations, but before all that we needed to nail down our recipes and produce ice cream we felt confident of putting our name on.
Fast forward to that first (chaotic) summer. Demand increased steadily as the school year came to a close. People wanted our ice cream. Word was spreading. And for that we were both incredibly thankful and a little daunted. We had dairy and non-dairy bases and a plethora of flavors we were proud of. We started to book events (some a year or two out). We began selling to area restaurants. We were a lean, sweet ice cream making machine. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine how we made it through those long days refining our craft and churning out hundreds of gallons of ice cream in such a teeny space. Suffice it to say, our staff got close. We were (and very much still are) a family, all working together to produce and promote a product we believe in.
Our journey has taken us to a new location right inside the Downtown Market hall with enough kitchen space to scale our output quite a bit further, and in the past year we produced more than double the output of year one. We now have seating available for more than just 4 customers (45!). We’ve expanded our product line to include sodas, Mitten Pops, multiple baked goods, and (soon) chocolates & confections! But all the while, we remain dedicated to our craft, striving with each passing year to become better at what we do. It’s been a short but wild ride thus far, friends, and we thank you so sincerely for your continued support, love, and intense desire for more ice cream! We look forward to many more years of loving what we do and sharing that passion with all of you. Cheers to 5 years of #onlygoodthings. Share your love of Love’s by submitting your very own flavor idea at the link below!
Design Your Own Flavor Contest
Stay Sweet,
Love’s Production Crew
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