The Boutique Melt. Intelligentsia coffee with a mini-scoop of your choice of premium ice cream.
With amazing locally owned boutiques popping up all over Fort Wayne in the past few years, recent Purdue grad Lauren Landstoffer had a brilliant idea…an ice cream boutique! Imagine all natural, velvety ice cream made from the highest quality ingredients and merge it with delectable, freshly brewed craft coffee and you have the newest thing to hit Fort Wayne’s food scene – Just Cream: Ice Cream Boutique!
Lauren envisioned a warm, welcoming place that people would consider a hangout spot. She is a huge coffee addict, likes the vibe that coffee shops have, and wanted to emulate that in her space. “I love that people can come in and hang out and do their work. Come stay awhile!” And come they will, to enjoy the unique boutique menu of items that Just Cream has cultivated.
Lauren, like many Purdue alums, is a huge fan of The Silver Dipper, which serves premium hand scooped ice cream that is highly addicting. She knew that was the ice cream she wanted for her boutique. The ice cream itself comes from a locally owned and operated business in Wisconsin called The Chocolate Shoppe. It's known for its super premium ice cream made with all natural ingredients and fresh Wisconsin cream.
The drip coffee they will serve is sourced by Intelligentsia, who is known for its third-wave coffee where they buy the beans directly from small, sustainable growers, do their own roasting, and have a slight obsession with quality control. This makes for some of the most delicious tasting coffee and that quality is what Lauren loved when she had her first sip at Olivia Macaron.
In Just Cream, Lauren wanted to create a place that had memorable food experiences. One of her fond memories as a kid was at the local Atz ice cream shop. “We used to get these amazing clown ice creams. I mean it was superman ice cream with all kinds of toppings in it, in the shape of a clown. It was magical. That’s what I want to create. Something people will remember.”
Just Cream will have a number of creative items that are sure to be just as memorable. One of their signature items will be an Extreme Shake, which is “the fanciest, over the top ice cream shake you have ever seen!” It's a frothy shake served in a mason jar with “super fancy” toppings like candy, cereal, wafers, and of course sprinkles on top. There will be a selection of regular flavors and then an extreme shake of the month.
The menu item I am most excited about is the Boutique Melt. This is truly a match made in foodie heaven - Intelligentsia coffee with a mini-scoop of your choice of premium ice cream. The ice cream is so rich that it makes for an amazing coffee creamer. I am pretty sure I will quickly become obsessed with those.
And let’s not forget the Ice Cruffle, which is a twist on the classic truffle. Ice cream hand dipped in chocolate, caramel, and other mouth-watering toppings. If you are a traditionalist, you can get your typical cup or cone with toppings of your choice and if you have a specific diet, they have options for all. From dairy-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, soy, and vegan options, they have you covered!
The thirty ice cream flavors will rotate depending on popularity and seasonality, but the traditional staples will always be there to tempt your taste buds. All menu items will be under $8, making it a truly family friendly spot. They will have seating for 28, free wi-fi, and outdoor accommodations in the summer.
Lauren is a Special Events Director at a local gymnastics spot and is really looking forward to being able to use her creativity to hold some fun event nights at Just Cream. From special date night themes to animal nights, trivia nights, you name it she is bursting with ideas! “I would love to do a wine float eventually…can you imagine? Wine with ice cream?” Yes, yes I can. And I like what I am hearing! We even chatted about our mutual love for cats…and dare I say a cat café? (OK, that might not be in the cards, but someone should do that!)
Just Cream: Ice Cream Boutique is located at 338 Dupont Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825 and will have hours of operation Monday through Sunday. Their soft open will be at the beginning of March. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook where they will unveil their hours and official opening date. Trust me, you will want to come check them out!
