Two Phoenix shops near the Downtown campus are sharing space in attempts to combat the local business slump.
The Sweetness, opening Friday inside Fair Trade Café on Roosevelt Street and Central Avenue, aims to bring local ice cream to a shop that’s already a staple of downtown Phoenix.
Jesse Robinson, 32, is the owner of The Sweetness. He lives near the café and became a regular there after returning to his hometown of Phoenix from a stay of seven years in Boston.
“I was struck by how loyal and dedicated people were to their ice cream in Boston,” Robinson said. “There were multiple privately owned ice cream shops and people would go to them even when it was snowing.”
Robinson wanted to bring the northeastern ice cream culture back to Phoenix. He described the downtown area as having a few frozen yogurt shops and Cold Stone Creamery, but nothing in the way of private ice cream.
Robinson began talking more and more about opening his own shop. He discussed it with the baristas and owners of Fair Trade Café, with whom he became friends.
“I became so used to (Boston’s ice cream business) that I felt like something was missing when I moved back to Phoenix,” Robinson said.
Fair Trade Café owner Stephanie Vasquez, 33, said she thought the businesses would work well together.
“We always talk about supporting local business, and this seemed like a no-brainer,” Vasquez said.
Robinson had a meeting with Vasquez's co-owner, Michele Lavis-White, at the beginning of the summer and they planned on an opening in late August or early September, when ASU students returned to downtown Phoenix. A personal health scare for Robinson delayed the opening until November.
Robinson said it all worked out for the best.
“The timing with First Friday is perfect,” he said. “It’s finally cool outside, all the students are back and this is one of Fair Trade’s biggest nights of the year.”
Robinson said he sees his shop and the café becoming a late night hangout for students doing homework as well as local residents who want to go out without frequenting bars.
“I know we have an active and awake nightlife but there aren’t too many options if you don’t want to go to a bar,” Robinson said. “We need more options if we’re going to become a bustling big city.”
To this end, The Sweetness will be open Thursday through Saturday from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday from noon to midnight. While the kitchen of Fair Trade will still close at 9 p.m. each night, the café will remain open for a late night coffee and ice cream fix.
Robinson said he has already received support from the Undergraduate Student Government Downtown and expects it from the rest of the campus.
USGD bought ice cream in bulk to hand out on Taylor Mall Thursday morning and is paying for small ice creams for the first 125 students who go to The Sweetness on First Friday.
Nursing freshman Omar Elzayyat said he would be interested in going to The Sweetness.
“It’s really close by so I’d go there,” he said.
Reach the reporter at julia.shumway@asu.edu or follow @JMShumway on Twitter.
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