Capitol Hill is about to go from a no-ice cream neighborhood to a-lot-of-ice cream neighborhood. Molly Moon’s is open and drawing long lines. Old School Frozen Custard tells CHS it is opening in May. And now Gabriel Scheer writes about a third shop in the area taking shape:

At Molly Moon’s, the conversation was around flavor selection and how she actively solicits customer feedback via her website, offering people opportunities to request and comment on new flavors via email and Twitter.

At the other as-yet-unopened ice cream shop, Josh, the proprietor, is actively seeking help from his potential clients – asking for assistance painting the store, filling it with unique (used) dishware, and engaging community artists to personalize it with functional art (such as a chandelier made from paper).

In both of these cases, the proprietors are actively engaging those to whom they would sell their products. In so doing, they’re not only gaining valuable help (without the help, Josh would doubtless be delayed in opening), they’re also building up an engaged community.  And in turn, that community will work to ensure they stay in business, stay true to their values, and offer products that the community actually wants.

Add the new cheese shop also sniffing around the area and this is a very bad week for the lactose intolerant in the neighborhood.

I asked Gabriel what else he could tell me about the mystery ice cream shop. His responses via Twitter:

• It’ll be on Elysian’s block. Sounds great – very community-space oriented, serving tea too. Opens in a few wks.
• guy who’s running it, Josh, announced it to Sustainable Capitol Hill mtg – his first public announcement.

Very interesting. Assuming it must be taking one of these spaces just down the block from the Elysian though the former 1200 Bistro location is open (probably too big for an ice cream joint, though, no?).

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