New Ninth Street ice cream parlor with a twist
Snow Factory first came to Durham this past summer of 2018, its’ first location being on Ninth Street in West Durham. Since opening, the soft-serve ice cream shop has grown increasingly popular in The Triangle among people of all ages, but especially for local teens.
Snow Factory specializes in Thai rolled ice cream, a creative alternative compared to basic ice cream shops in the Triangle. Thai rolled ice cream originates in Southeast Asia, but first became popular in the United States in 2015. Since then the creative dessert has spread nationwide thanks to social media platforms. Thus, when one of these shops opened in a city like Durham, there is no question why it became so popular so fast.
Overall, the process of making the rolled ice cream is an aesthetically pleasing and fascinating experience. Out in open view for the customers to watch, the workers pour the sweet milk base onto a freezing cold steel tray and add in as many creative toppings or food combinations one may think of. They then begin quickly stabbing at the ingredients with spatulas and mixing them all together. Once combined, the ingredients start getting colder and the mixture is spread out flat onto the tray and then scraped into rolls.
Not only is the process intriguing to watch, it is also appetizing. The flavors include the basics like Premium Chocolate and Pure Vanilla, and more extravagant
ones such as Nocturne and Uji Matcha. These recipes and others alike include freshly prepared ingredients like organic fruits and less healthy choices like brownies, toasted marshmallows, and Oreos.
Snow Factory offers an open view for customers to watch their personalizable ice cream get prepared, along with a nice open space for seating. Along with having a nice environment, they also allow their consumers to leave their mark. On the tables, they have sticky notes and pens placed out in the open for public use. Customers can use these
to write whatever they want and put it along the walls of the shop. This has become a fun norm at Snow Factory, and today the walls are practically covered.
Pricing is really the only con for this ice cream shop, as the fancy style tends to cause the product to be more on the expensive side. The customizable cups can range from approximately $8.00 to $12.00, and the price combined with the wait-time (depending on what day of the week it is and what time) can be a dealbreaker for some. Although overall, if you do not mind spending a couple extra dollars on a sweet treat every once in a while, then Snow Factory is a great place to invest in.
