Portland, Ore.-based ice-cream chain Salt & Straw, which has been in the L.A. market for two years, is hoping to grab a bigger scoop of the local market with its first San Fernando Valley shop – opening next month in Studio City. The company currently has five parlors serving up its hand-made ice cream – three in Portland and two in Los Angeles. Its first L.A. store opened in 2014 at a 950-square-foot space in Larchmont Village and its Venice outpost launched last month. “I was actively looking to get into Studio City. I really love the community and the particular street that we’re on is the street I was dreaming of,” said Salt & Straw co-founder Kim Malek. “We just heard from the city that all of our permits were approved, so we’re hoping to start construction (this month).” The 850-square-foot space will be Malek’s smallest location, though the décor will resemble that of its predecessors. Hand-painted signs and ice-cream ingredients will grace the walls, alongside custom-carved wooden shelving and cabinetry. “I wanted it to have a community-oriented feel and designed our stores to look like a modern-day mercantile,” she said. Malek aims to bring a little of each neighborhood to the décor, and definitely adds a local aspect to the product itself. The ice cream includes ingredients from local partners including Scotch Brothers Dairy in Chino and Compartes Chocolatier in Los Angeles. “Salt & Straw is very chef and ingredient driven, which sets them apart from others,” said treats blogger Nastassia Johnson of LetThemEatCake.com in Hollywood. “They have great quality (ingredients) and they source things locally. Salt & Straw really plays on the community, that’s a big part of who they are.” The shop has 12 core flavors, including favorites such as sea salt and caramel ribbon, avocado and strawberry sherbet and chocolate chip cookie dough. The menu also features a limited-edition section that changes once a month. This month’s seasonal items include five unique flavors inspired by California chocolatiers such as Twenty-Four Blackbirds Chocolate in Santa Barbara and L.A.’s Ococoa. Prices range from $4 for a scoop to $10.50 for a pint. Malek started Salt & Straw with her younger cousin Tyler in 2012 and invested a large chunk of her 401(k) Plan to get it off the ground. The two started making ice cream in Malek’s garage and selling it on a pushcart in Portland’s arts district. “We came to L.A. to get to know the city, and we got the feeling that there was this great renaissance going on,” Malek said. “The market is booming and we thought it would be fun to be a part of that.” Beauty Expansion Van Nuys-based Beauty Collection aims to put its best face forward with a new location in Marina del Rey. The new 2,100-square-foot boutique is slated to open at 4722 Admiralty Way in May and will feature all of the services Beauty Collection has to offer – including facials, massages, a waxing bar and makeovers. The upscale boutique will also carry its top-brand beauty products including French skin and makeup essentials line By Terry; Minneapolis-based cosmetic supply line Sigma Beauty; and Paris-based Creed perfume. Founder Shawn Tavakoli opened the first Beauty Collection in 1998 and has since expanded to five stores in Southern California, one of which is based at Rick Caruso’s Commons at Calabasas shopping center. “Opening our sixth Beauty Collection location in Marina del Rey gives us a great opportunity to further our brand and our passion for beauty,” Tavakoli said in an email to the Business Journal. “We are excited to share our carefully curated selection of beauty products with this community.” Authentic Pizza The crowded pizza market along Ventura Boulevard has added another restaurant to the mix with the arrival of Marco’s Pizza, a Toledo, Ohio-based franchise known for its Italian-inspired pizzas, hot sub sandwiches and salads. The casual-dining restaurant opened in Sherman Oaks at 14318 Ventura in December, bringing 20 jobs to the neighborhood. Valley resident Shawn Saee left a career in corporate banking to try his hand as an entrepreneur, signing a development agreement with Marco’s Franchising to bring 31 stores to Ventura and Los Angeles counties over the next 10 years. Marco’s Franchising operates more than 500 units nationwide. Staff Reporter Champaign Williams can be reached at (818) 316-3121 or [email protected].
