Two years after opening, Superior Creamery owners reflect on their beginnings, upcoming changes, and exciting opportunities
Jul 01, 2024 09:20AM ● By Content Editor
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - June 28, 2024
On June 4, 2022, Alex Beebe-Giudice and Christine Sayler officially opened the doors to Superior Creamery. Visitors and locals quickly grew to love the small-batch ice cream, made right on-site in the former 1920s bakery on Broadway Street (the site has also been home to multiple restaurants and a hardware store). Since opening, Beebe-Giudice and Sayler have made additions such as adding a food menu, constructing an outdoor seating area, and expanding into the community by selling ice cream at events such as the North House Folk School Unplugged family concerts, and most recently, during the BBQ & Ice Cream Social portion of the Wooden Boat Festival.
Like most small business owners, Alex and Christine reflect on what's working, what can be adjusted, and what are opportunities for growth. They sat down with Boreal Community Media's Laura Durenberger-Grunow to share what they've been up to since opening in 2022 and what they have planned for the near future.
The first and perhaps biggest change is that they will no longer serve food, as of 4 pm on Monday, July 1. The biggest reason why? More time for ice cream. All of the ice cream (made with milk from Autumnwood Dairy Farm in Forest Lake, MN), toppings, and flavor additions (cookies, biscuits, etc.) are made in-house, which to them, is an important and non-negotiable component of their business. But, all that goes into their homemade ingredients takes time and energy - that is currently being shared with the food menu. "We're excited to be able to continue and expand by offering new rotating flavors throughout the year," Sayler added. The two made a point to express their appreciation for their "great kitchen team" and plan to work with them to use and transition their talents and abilities on all things ice cream.
"People have been asking for dairy-free ice cream pretty much since we opened," Christine said. For those who have been asking, you're in luck. Sayler has been testing and experimenting with different dairy-free options, which is a slow process to get it just right. Freeing up time spent on food production will allow the two to finally perfect their recipe, with a goal to have dairy-free ice cream options available this year.
Excited yet? The new sweet treat offerings won't stop there. They've been experimenting with different recipes for homemade fudge, which they also plan to roll out this year.
But it's not just in-house treats that they're planning to focus on. Community events like the ones at North House are something the two enjoy and want to explore more. "Christine and I want to make our ice cream more accessible for those who may not be able to come into Grand Marais," Alex said. The two hope to travel to different events around Cook County (specifically mentioning locations such as the Gunflint Trail, Schroeder/Tofte/Lutsen, and Grand Portage) to serve up their ice cream.
Finally, the owners are looking to expand into wholesale in the future. They've received interest from local businesses and restaurants over the past two years, but haven't been able to entertain the idea until now. "We're excited about the possibility to build additional partnerships around the County," they said.
While the food menu may be going away, Superior Creamery will still offer draft root beer, kombucha, espresso, and of course, their homemade ice cream (and eventually homemade fudge). The two owners share that they are excited about being able to continue to expand their sweet offerings not only in the store but also into the community.
"We have been overwhelmed and humbled by the love for our ice cream. People have told us how much they love the flavors and toppings, and we're so grateful." Beebe-Giudice said.
To learn more about Superior Creamery, visit their website here.
