In a move to appeal to the sweet-toothed kid in all of us, Dining Services is finalizing arrangements to bring Denise's Homemade Ice Cream of Davis Square fame to the on-campus coffeehouse Brown and Brew. According to Director of Dinning Services Patti Lee Klos, the plan - while still unofficial - is for Denise's to begin serving at Tufts as early as next semester.
Plans for a slight internal renovation of Brown and Brew to accommodate "dipping cabinets" and approximately 14 flavors at a time have been in the works for over a year, leaving both sides of the deal in high anticipation.
"We've been talking with [co-owner of Denise's] Stan Zafran for a long time now about bringing his ice cream to campus, and he's been very patient with us," Lee Klos said.
Zafran believes his patience could pay off later in the spring when the ice cream business really heats up. "If we put this together, it would be a welcome addition to my wholesale business," he said.
Usual ice cream flavors will be in-house regulars upon Denise's arrival, but Brown and Brew's menu will also boast a variety of "seasonal" flavors and some coffee house tastes like "cappuccino." The beverage menu will also be expanded to incorporate new resources with a number of frozen drinks and frappes to be offered.
"Denise's Ice Cream will be a good fit with the coffee concept and should compliment the rest of the menu nicely," says Lee Klos. "We didn't want something generic with this project; we wanted fresh-made ice cream from a local business."
News of the expansion has pleased many students, although plans have not yet been formally announced. "Denise's is so yummy, I'm excited!" sophomore Rachel Klein said.
But others are concerned with the cost of the ice cream, especially after a rise in prices at Denise's after last semester.
"It will be a nice treat every once in a while, but if it is as expensive as it is in the store, then I won't have enough points to eat it as often as I would like," sophomore Allison Cohen said.
As a local favorite located in Davis Square adjacent to the Tufts shuttle stop, Denise's was a top contender as an addition to Tufts dining offerings. "We like to promote local vendors in our business to build a community," Head Manager of Brown and Brew Dave Ford said. "We're also hoping that this will enhance our patio with people choosing this treat during the warm weather seasons."
Lee Klos echoed Ford's sentiment on hometown businesses. "Denise's receives a lot of good press, and we like to support the local business in our endeavors," said Lee Klos. She also praised co-owner Zafran's ability in the ice cream business. "He has really lent his expertise all throughout our negotiations. He's really turned what he does into a science," Lee Klos said.
"His standards of cleanliness in his store and hygiene when handling all the dairy products is very specific and that was also a definite factor in our selection of his store among the others we had looked at," she added.
With another blustery Boston winter approaching, most students are probably not thinking of indulging in a frozen treat right now. But Lee Klos thinks that students will adopt the New England-esque preference for scooped ice cream as a year-round treat.
"The usual crowds at Brown and Brew will eat during breakfast and lunch and consider that a meal. But in the evening, it is mostly a place for the grazing study-time customer. Evening might be the best time for homemade ice cream to fit in as another snack option for a study break," she said.
Denise's will represents a return of homemade ice cream to campus. In the past, students weary with late night hunger had only to look to the now-defunct Jumbo Scoops for a delectable dairy treat. Presently, students know the era of the Jumbo Express convenience store, which occupies the old space of Jumbo Scoops.
According to Lee Klos, Jumbo Scoops enjoyed some success for the first few years, but then interest in the product declined with sales and demand for a convenience store grew. Jumbo Express came into its own, displacing the lone hard-serve ice cream vendor on campus. But a return of homemade ice cream to campus is imminent, according to Lee Klos.
"Although it's taken a few years, I think we've found a new home for scooped ice cream at Tufts," Lee Klos said.
