The Inside Scoop: Ten questions for Izzy's Ice Cream

Story and photos by Julie Craven

Who better than Jeff Sommers, the owner of Izzy’s Ice Cream, to provide the inside scoop on the neighborhood’s favorite treat? A conversation with Jeff is wide-ranging: everything from the global influences that impact his business philosophy, to his personal quest for the next chocolate flavor. Regardless of my question, and just like an Izzy’s Scoop, Jeff had a little something extra to share.

What temperature does the thermometer have to hit before the line goes out the door at Izzy’s?
Usually about 70 degrees, 72 degrees is the magic number.

What's the best combination you never thought of?
We misinterpreted a story about an Oreo and green tea ice cream that is popular in Japan and China. Turns out it’s actually a combination of a crispy wafer and Matcha tea and it’s amazingly and surprisingly good. It’s one of Lara’s (Jeff's wife and Izzy's co-owner) current projects, so stay tuned!

    A flavor for every palate!

What’s new for 2016 at Izzy’s?
Well, some of our biggest news for this year is at Target Field.  We now have both gelato and soft serve at the Twins games.

Any surprises in store for Izzy's aficionados this summer?
We have this hot dish item, a casserole dish with 32 Izzy’s scoops and a variety of toppings, and we're working on a sundae to complement that part of the menu. There will be a revamped malt and shake program as well.

There are nearly as many dogs as there are people in the Mill District. Do people ever order ice cream for their pet?
Yes, we make a banana peanut butter for pets and we’ll sell one to three of those in any given day.

What's your busiest day of the year?
Aquatennial and the Fourth of July weekend. Celebrations with fireworks are just unbelievable. We were open till 2:00am for Northern Spark.

Where did the idea to have Misfit Coffee at Izzy's in the winter months originate?
They came to us. I was impressed - young people with initiative and drive. It was a great partnership and it’s led to a new offering at Izzy’s this summer, Nitro Cold Press from Misfit Coffee.

You use a lot of social media. What works?
We’ve actually received some national awards for our social media work. In my view, social media, regardless of the platform, follows great word of mouth and our results show we're delivering great ice cream and customer service. It also means responding to complaints or celebrations with integrity. We then repeat that execution, for as many as 1000 guests per day, in both our Minneapolis and St. Paul locations.

What’s your best selling flavor?
Salted Caramel, by far. Nothing else even comes close. We actually first created it for Chef Russell Klein when he was at W.A. Frost.

What would be people be surprised to learn about Izzy’s?
The depth of training for our young staff. We look at that as a community benefit in addition to an investment in our people. The team members memorize 100 flavors including the ingredients and allergens for each one. It takes about 16 months. We have employees who have been with us for ten years, throughout their high school and college years. Our goal is to inspire them to fulfill our mission to make great moments for individuals in small groups.

Location:  1100 2nd Street South, Minneapolis, MN  55415

Website: http://izzysicecream.com/

Julie Craven can be reached at julie@millcitymedia.org