The Little Man Ice Cream Factory Flagship Opens July 6 On West Colfax

-Tasting room and industrial production facility will offer up close and personal look at the craft of ice cream making-

DENVER – (July 5, 2019) – The long-awaited Little Man Ice Cream Factory will open July 6 at 4411 West Colfax Avenue in Denver’s Sloan’s Lake neighborhood. With a nod to the Little Man Ice Cream Company’s heritage and growth, the whimsical tasting room and industrial production facility will open on the same weekend the brand launched its pioneer venture, Little Man Ice Cream in 2008.

“The Factory” offers guests a unique experience – giving them the opportunity to enjoy Little Man’s award-winning hand-crafted ice cream, sorbets, shakes, malts, sundaes and ice cream “Sammie’s,” while surrounded by the sights, smells and sounds of the ice cream production process.

“With ‘The Factory,’ we’re giving our guests the opportunity to explore the heart of our operation in a completely interactive way,” said Little Man founder and owner Paul Tamburello. “We’ve combined a number of unique design elements that allow guests to truly experience our process. We can finally open up the curtain and unveil the chef-driven mystery of ice cream making in a thoroughly engaging way.”

The 6,000-square-foot space designed by architect Theodore (Ted) Schultz features industrial details, rustic steel, exposed pipes, curvilinear shapes, and detailed brickwork that lay the groundwork for the exacting design inspired by factories and craftsmen from the beginning of the 20^th Century.

“The space is designed to replicate the internal workings of an industrial ice cream churn, with a number of cylindrical shaped design features,” said Schultz. “They create a spinning effect like the inner-working of an ice cream machine and the unbounded delight that children feel as they spin around with excitement.”

The rounded Bakery and “Spin Space,” where ice cream is churned, are encased by vertical glass windows, giving guests a bird’s eye view of the action. Customers will place orders at the circular “Flight Deck,” that offers flights of ice cream from an ever-changing menu. In a nod to its industrial roots, an overhead conveyor belt will carry ice cream, toppings, and chocolate confections from one side of “The Factory” to the other.

The state-of-the-art production kitchen will churn out more than 7,000 gallons of ice cream per week, triple the capacity of its former facility. The expanded production will allow Little Man to more effectively supply its growing roster of wholesale clients and restaurants as well as its other shops, including Sweet Cooie’s in Congress Park, Fort Collins-based Old Town Churn, The Constellation in Stapleton and Dang in Park Hill, which will open later this year.

In addition to producing all of the Little Man Ice Cream Company’s flavors, “The Factory” will act as a test kitchen for the brand, allowing Chef Claire Fields and her staff to continuously explore new flavors and seasonal treats.

“The ‘Flight Deck’ and bakery will be a showcase that supports and celebrates our talented kitchen team who have fun and push menu creativity on a seasonal basis,” said Fields. “What starts out as a ‘test’ flavor may result in a new best seller for our shops and wholesale clients.”

In fact, “The Factory” will launch two of these test flavors created by the visionary kitchen team on opening day: Carrot Cake ice cream created by pastry cook Tai Clay and Vegan Banana Brûlée

Ice Cream by Chef Claire Fields.

The new venture will also showcase baked goods in an innovative way with the debut of “Factory Specials,” a rotating slate of plated desserts and novelties. Micro-batches of experimental ice cream flavors will accompany the plated desserts like Thyme Ice Cream and Buttermilk Panna Cotta on opening day. To celebrate all of its locations, Little Man will highlight one specialty flavor from each of its shops for the grand opening. The options include:

Little Man: Salted Oreo (salted vanilla base with Oreos)
Old Town Churn: Matcha Honey (matcha and wildflower honey base made by Denver-based iIndulge)
Sweet Cooie’s: Lemon Meringue Pie (lemon base with a marshmallow swirl and homemade vanilla wafers)
The Constellation: Turbulence (vanilla and marshmallow ice cream swirled together with chocolate charcoal and crunchy chocolate pearls)

With all that variety, ice cream lovers may opt for a Factory Flight – three to five scoops of their favorite flavors with specialty toppings. Big eaters will also enjoy the “Super Duper Big Man Scooper”– a $50 shareable option that will serve up to 10 people.

Beyond its high-quality products, “The Factory” will continue to deliver the family-friendly fun that has become a trademark of Little Man’s original Lower Highland location. With its newest home on the corner of West Colfax Avenue and Tennyson Street, The Little Man Ice Cream Factory aims to become a community gathering hub with events and entertainment for the West Colfax and Sloan’s Lake community.

“It’s extremely exciting to join this unique community; to share the values of the neighborhood’s past and be a part of its exciting future,” said Tamburello.

The Little Man Ice Cream Factory will support the company’s overarching philanthropic mission with its Scoop for Scoop program, which donates one scoop of rice, beans or other essentials to a community in need anywhere in the world. To date, Little Man has delivered to communities in nine countries spread across four different continents. The company’s Scoop for Scoop mission taps employees who volunteer their time and talents or established partners in the areas most in need.

To learn more about Scoop for Scoop visit: www.littlemanicecream.com/scoop-for-scoop/

The Little Man Ice Cream Factory can accommodate up to 160 guests and is also available for private events. Operating Hours are:

Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Friday: 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Private Events
- Closed 12/7/19 at 2 p.m.

About The Little Man Ice Cream Factory

“The Factory” is a 6,000 square foot state-of-the-art tasting room and production kitchen located on West Colfax in Denver’s Sloan’s Lake neighborhood. Inspired by factories and craftsmen from the beginning of the 20^th century, the shop is defined by industrial details, rustic steel, exposed pipes, curvilinear shapes, and detailed brickwork. Against that backdrop, the team behind Little Man Ice Cream has mixed in a fair share of whimsy, equipping “The Factory” with such special features as dramatic art installations, building block menus and a quirky overhead conveyor belt. Guests order flights of ice cream, scoops, shakes and daily Factory Specials from “The Flight Deck,” while enjoying the smells and sights of homemade ice cream, waffle cones, chocolates and baked goods crafted on site. Like all of Little Man’s shops, “The Factory” will serve as a vibrant community gathering place with an array of programming to satisfy guests of all ages. The Little Man Ice Cream Factory is located at 4411 West Colfax Ave. For more information visit www.littlemanicecream.com/little-man-ice-cream-factory.