For over 20 years, Dutch Dreams has been open year-round, including winter. It’s a nervous period for ice cream shop owners. Co-owner Theo Aben, who recently returned from an annual ice cream convention, says it’s been business as usual at his red-bricked Vaughan Road location. In the wintertime, that means a bit of unpredictability.
“The ice cream business is seasonal. You have good periods and bad, and during winter some people just assume we're closed,” Aben says. “It's funny though — we have some customers that only come in the winter and not much in the summer.”
Dutch Dreams has been trying to monitor sales through winter like a science. It’s not easy.
“When it’s consistently cold, for three or four days straight, I'll get good business. If it fluctuates, then it kills momentum and boom. Customers are gone,” he says. “Some of the biggest snowstorms have been my best winter days, and this place will have about 30 to 40 people in it.”
Aben’s suggestion for winter-weary wayfarers? Sundaes. Or waffles.
If you happen to wander by Dutch Dreams, try the Reece’s hot fudge sundae ($6.50), the spiced apple sundae ($6.50, made with almonds, ice cream, spiced apple topping, wafer, whipped cream and fruit) or the Dutch waffle ($7.50, with two kinds of ice cream, melted Dutch chocolate, whipped cream, fruit and almonds).
The fruit and whipped cream combo that comes with just about every item in the store is a Dutch signature.
“The Dutch did it for generations,” Aben says. “It’s just something that they do, as a culture with their food, like having a spiced cookie with their coffee.”
