Lakee911 wrote >>
That is so sad. I loved that place. Parking did suck...
Maybe he could have his ice cream carried by local restaurants or something?
I got the chance to spend a couple hours with him last spring. He took me behind the counter and into the back to show and talk to me about everything he did to make his ice cream. Apparently over the years he would do that with anyone interested in seeing and hearing about it, and he loved sharing about what he did to make ice cream as much as he enjoyed making it. I really wish I had gotten to do it before he had the stroke, because the stroke had impaired his speach, but his genius as an ice cream maker was obvious as I watched him work.
I learned that he did sell his ice cream to some local restaurants, but he shared that even that was a tough market to gain given he "was not a cute as Jeni" (his exact words). He even shared that some restaurant owners like his product better than Graeters, but would carry Graeters for no other reason than their customer's recognized the Graeters name.
Such is competition how business works, so I don't want to make it appear that he wasn't whinning about it, but he did share that he was far more appreciated in Boston with his two stores there, than he ever was in Columbus. He moved to Columbus in 2004 because his wife's job got moved here. He was to Boston what Jeni is to Columbus before he moved, and he seemed sad that he was never appreciated here like he was in Boston.
Fantastic guy to just talk with, even with the post-stroke speach impediment. I wish him well!!!