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The 5,000-sq. ft. building where Scoopz was located is now vacant. |
 | By Maureen Post   OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Maureen Post |
| Published Jan. 14, 2009 at 11:51 a.m. |
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Less than a year after opening, Scoopz Frozen Custard is closed.
Located at 3621 W. North Ave., the hamburger and custard shop opened February 2008 as part of an effort by Roots Development LLC owners Damon Dorsey and Bob Plevin to invigorate the surrounding neighborhood.
Dorsey and Plevin completely redesigned the building on the southeast corner of 37th Street and North Avenue; a project costing $1.7 million including an estimated $250,000 in tax incremental financing (TIF).
According to the North Avenue Community Development Corporation (NACDC), Scoopz was the only tenant in the 5,000-sq ft. building when it closed earlier this month.
Before leaving the NACDC to run Roots Development LLC and Scoopz, Dorsey and Plevin acted as president and project manager for the organization.
Owners could not be reached for comment.
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18 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review. |
Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by local42 on April 15, 2009 at 5:59 a.m. (report)
The city of Milwaukee is lucky. Had Damon come up with an idea for a bungee jump training center for the inner city, there is no one who could have talked him out of the idea. His very thorough market analysis would've revealed that there wasn't such a center within 5000 miles of North Avenue and he would've pressed forward. Like Scoopz, the city would've tried to discourage him from the idea since more knowledgeable people realize that the reason no such business has existed for decades there is because there is no market for it. Like Scoopz, Damon would've convinced at least one desperate, risk-taking sucker to finance the venture. Like Scoopz, Damon would've ignored the fact that people in the area do not have the money or the means beyond that needed for the basis necessities. Scoopz was ill-conceived and a horrible idea. The city is not interested in business flourishing in this area because they want this segment of people OUT of the city. They don't want businesses that make people in this portion of the city feel more at home. This is possibly why the city continued on with plans to tear up North Avenue that ran in front of the store, making it less likely to people would drive by Scoopz. People were more likely to take a different route to avoid the road work. I didn't think the food in Scoopz was good. Nothing unique about it that would make me go out of my way to eat there. Certainly the economy didn't help, but the failure of this custard place was predictable. The best thing that can happen to revitalize this inner city is for all the current residents to move elsewhere.
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Posted by girlkelly on Jan. 16, 2009 at 11:20 a.m. (report)
I really regret that I never had the chance to visit Scoops. I had very good intentions, but never made. I think it was a great effort to generate revenue in that area. Please don't believe that it is a neighborhood of crackheads and 'ladies of the night'. I lived in the area for a number of years w/ several other working class families. If you haven't been to or know the area, please keep your comments neutral. It's a sad situation that this business was not able to survive the current recession.
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Posted by steffek on Jan. 16, 2009 at 1:23 a.m. (report)
I could have told you a long time ago crack heads don't like, and do not have the money for ice cream.
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Posted by Red_5 on Jan. 15, 2009 at 9:58 p.m. (report)
As far as all those potential customers you talk about that obviously did not go there. Ice cream is a treat. If you are familiar with that area (I am. Are you?) you can see that money is not exactly in abundance. So when it comes to making a choice of making rent or getting a malt which do you think is going to be done? I'm sorry these two individuals who had vision and hope for this area did not make it. But a solid business plan and keen neighborhood analysis would have served them better then their good intentions. This place had as much of a chance as a surf board shop on that street. "Surf board shop?" "Well that's just stupid." Yep. And so is a 5000 square foot 1.7 million dollar ice cream stand.
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Posted by ktn4 on Jan. 15, 2009 at 7:01 p.m. (report)
My point was that this place wasn't intended for you people (or me) that already have custard stands in our seemingly safe neighborhoods. It was built to serve the neighborhood not bring people into it from your little safe places. Plenty of people live in the area that were potential customers.
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