The Covid Pandemic upended an untold number of lives across the globe. Business partners Abby Akiome and Jingo Yared were no exception to this unprecedented upheaval. Abby had just gone on maternity leave after working at Pret-a-Manger for a decade. She fully anticipated returning to work but was unable to put her new child in daycare since they had not reopened yet. Jingo was also unable to work. As the manager of a parking lot, with people stuck at home, there weren’t many cars to park. Abby and Jingo often talked about opening a business of their own and with neither able to work, this seemed like the perfect time to make their dream come true.

Jingo had always loved ice cream and thought it might be the key to fulfilling their entrepreneurship dream. Abby and Jingo knew they wanted to open a store in the District and began visiting ice cream shops around the city as part of their research. They visited the Cold Stone Creamery store in Cleveland Park so many times that when employees found out Abby and Jingo had purchased the business, they were not surprised. And although they are still new to Cleveland Park, they have settled in very quickly. Abby feels so comfortable in this community that she doesn’t mind staying in the store alone until midnight sometimes to make ice cream cakes.

The Cleveland Park community has been extremely welcoming of Abby and Jingo and they love their regular customers and the teenagers who hang out at Cold Stone Creamery after school. Abby always makes sure they have the ingredients for a mango smoothie because each day a man comes in and orders one. Without knowing his real name, they’ve nicknamed him “Mr. Mango.” Although well-known for their ice cream, Cold Stone Creamery also has an offering of healthy smoothies and acai bowls that can also be made vegan. 

Additionally Cold Stone Creamery offers a variety of ice creams, some are also dairy free, ice cream cakes, and ice cream cupcakes. They can even print out any photograph onto icing for a unique cake topping. Abby and Jingo are also very community oriented and want people to know their location in Cleveland Park is amenable to conducting fundraising events. Although the temperature now is frigid, Abby and Jingo will warm the hearts of anyone needing a sweet or even healthy treat.

Stop by Tuesday February 11th between 5-6pm for a free scoop of ice cream. 

Cold Stone Creamery

3501 Connecticut Avenue NW

Washington DC 20008

(202) 597-5705