Who Are The People In Your Neighborhood: Loblolly Creamery

Rachel Moore, Dan Moore, and Sally Mengel make ice cream.  It's damn good ice cream and since I love ice cream this trio are like superheroes to me.  Any time I need a pick me up ice cream seems to do the trick.  Frown needing to be turned upside down?  Add ice cream. 

As the creative forces behind SoMa's beloved Loblolly Creamery they are putting smiles on faces at The Green Corner Store's old fashioned soda counter.  It's summertime and the living is easy, fish are jumpin', and the ice cream business is better than ever.  On the day I met with them to do this interview there was a steady stream of customers getting soda, ice cream, and even ice cream sandwiches.  As one of the focal points in the store, the antique soda counter feels right at home given the fact that the store operated as a pharmacy from 1906-1967.  Just as you'd expect there is a display cooler with large containers of various flavors, with those offerings posted on a handwritten chalkboard for all to see. 

 

 

I wanted to know the story about how this group of friends came to become Loblolly.  Some things just evolve in the most wonderful way.  The Cornbread Festival in November of 2011 was their debut as Loblolly.  They even won their category!  In January of 2012 they began selling ice cream and their delicious sodas, with the fountain opening in April of that year.  Sally and Rachel had been friends for some time with Rachel's brother Dan coming on board just because he wanted to help.  I figured they must have a background in ice cream maybe working at Yarnell's or Ben and Jerry's.  No.  However Rachel and Dan each have backgrounds in baking.  Starting in a shared space in the kitchen of Trinity Episcopal not too far away, their business has expanded and now provides treats to business all over town including Boulevard Bread, Argenta Market, Trios, The Fold, By The Glass, Hillcrest Farmer's Market, Big Orange, South on Main, and even special events like Boozie Milkshake night at Whitewater Tavern.  Friend Ryan Dunn came up with the name Loblolly since it is the state pine tree.  Their best seller and most dangerous to make concoction is their awesome salted caramel ice cream.  Made with the freshest and very local ingredients, like the figs that had been delivered earlier that day, all of their flavors are delicious but my favorite is anything they make with mint!

 

I asked them about the future and what they see.  I was charmed to hear that they want to grow but not so big that they lose the charm and quality that we all love about their product.  If you have not stopped by and had a scoop of happiness in one of their homemade cones then I encourage you to.  Or if you can't do dairy try a sorbet or soda.  They also have vegan and gluten free options.  Me, I eat pretty much anything they put in front of me and with a smile on my face.  But hey it's research right?

All photography rights shared by Brian Kelley/Imagine Photography

South Main Vintage Market at The Bernice Garden

Saturday August 10th was the South Main Vintage Market at The Bernice Garden and it was FUN!!  Certainly it was the type of great even I have come to enjoy and look forward to at The Bernice Garden.  I love taking my camera and snapping images of great things and this event had so many of them.  There were new vendors from last month and everyone seemed to be loaded down with great stuff.  One thing I noticed was that many vendors had old photos or photo related items which was right up my alley.  And they weren't just some one's old family photos but one box was full of old photos from a photography studio in upstate New York and it was like a walk back in time looking at them.  I bought a few of them that particularly jumped out at me.  The little girl was so prim and proper I had to get that one and the young man so handsome in his Edwardian attire. 

Other finds were an electric clock by Sessions.  What does a chef in need of a kitchen clock need?  Well a kitchen clock in the shape of a French chef of course!  And my interest in shoes was piqued by a child's shoe last, size 3E.  A last is used in the manufacture and repair of shoes. 

There were just so many interesting things and not all of them in booths.  One great item was  purse a lady was wearing that was made out of candy wrappers that she had found in Mexico.  It looked fit for the Esse Purse Museum.

I spent a great amount of time just browsing, amazed by all of the great vintage items and sometimes trying to figure out what all of them were.

After the market I had lunch at The Root Café.  They are a great local place and a focal point of the SoMa neighborhood.  I've never been disappointed by anything I have eaten there and Saturday was no exception.  Their BLT with a side of eggplant fries and a Fanta Orange was a perfect lunch after a busy morning of shopping. 

Afterwards, some friends and I walked down Main street to have coffee at Community Bakery and visit.  On the way back we stopped in Oxford American's new space and caught Crossing Borders which was it's last day.  So glad that we did!  I got to chat with British photographer Chris King and was completely captivated by his pieces.  Being from England his eye picks up on things that might be commonplace to us here in Arkansas but are interesting to him.  And his pieces will have you taking a fresh look at things.  The exhibit is over but you can check out his stuff at his website.

On the way back home I contemplated what a great day it had been so far and how fortunate we are to be able to stop and smell the roses so to speak.  Even mundane things like a door can be appreciated if you open your eyes.

 

All photography rights shared by Brian Kelley/Imagine Photography