April 17, 2013 by Encore Magazine

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4 LIVE LOCAL 6 NEWS 7 NEWS OF THE WEIRD

live local. live small. The Scoop turns 35

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by Gwenyfar Ro

uts,’ with Promise of Pean Project Author of ‘The lly Be ll Fu e ing Th proceeds benefit

Owner Jef Pollock celebrates 35 years on April 27th and 28th at his ice-cream shop, The Scoop, in the Cotton Exchange. Photo by Trent Williams ith spring here and the sunshine

back in full view, it is time for some good news—and some ice cream. Specifically one scoop of chocolate, one scoop of black cherry, both in a Coca-Cola. Wandering in to have lunch at The Scoop in the Cotton Exchange last week, I was handed an invitation to their 35th birthday party. For many people who have grown up here, myself included, The Scoop is ubiquitous. It seems like a mainstay of downtown. Honestly, it never occurred to me that there was a time before its birth; I just sort of imagined it always a part of the Cotton Exchange, even when it was built. But 35 years in the restaurant business ... well, what an accomplishment! All small businesses face hurdles. The restaurant business likely endures the highest mortality rate among small business in the U.S. That’s a big part of why I never wanted to own a food business. More power to anyone who pulls it off successfully. Apparently, The Scoop has been through multiple owners since its inception. No one I asked could come up with a definitive answer of exactly how many. “I have attempted to track that down,” current Scoop partner Jef Pollock chuckles. Mary Ellen Golden of the Cotton Exchange’s The Golden Gallery, which opened in 1977, confirmed The Scoop’s doors opened in April 1978. Like many icons, the entity of The Scoop is bigger than the individual owners. Jef Pollock and Debra Nipper have been the ice-cream shop stewards since 2006. Pollock—a merry elf in human form, if ever there was one—grinned and magnified the twinkle in his eye when discussing its history. “Almost daily someone comes in saying, ‘My parents brought me here as a kid. Now here’s my kid!’” A memory of visiting The Scoop spreads citywide, whether taking trips during childhood or 4 encore | april 17-23, 2013| www.encorepub.com

working there during college. Pollock and Nipper are trying to collect “Scoops About the Scoop” on their Facebook page, and they’re asking customers to send them their stories. More so, they ask everyone to come to their 35th birthday party and connect in person. I have written many times in this column about my own memories of The Scoop as a child and teenager; iit is part nostalgia that drives me back regularly. And it’s partly my sweet tooth and the joy I get every time I walk through the door. No matter how bad a day is, a scoop of ice cream and a friendly smile can make it better. Pollock’s staff of five lovingly have been coined “The Scoop-ettes!” “Because everybody needs a backup band!” Pollock jokes. My childhood friend Abigail pointed out last week, “The best part of having lunch at The Scoop is that you get a meal and show.” She’s right. Every moment with Pollock, the former Changing Channels funnyman, is endlessly entertaining. It seems he is perpetually hosting a party everyday—or as he puts it, “serving up Scoop-fuls of awesomeness since 1978!” His revolving door of audience members at the ice-cream spot fill his stagetime these days. In fact, during our discussion about the business’ birthday party, Pollock detoured with a story about an obscure Carpenters’ tribute album, released in the early ‘90s. Naturally, he sang a sample from almost every track, completed by perfect air guitar. Pollock is a big fan of marking milestones. He said they realized they had missed their 30th birthday and wanted their 35th to be a big fuss. The weekend of April 27th and 28th, from noon to 5 p.m., the party at The Scoop will be in full swing.

“We are going back to 1978 prices on kid’s scoops and fountain drinks for those two days,” Pollock notes. “At 4 p.m. on Saturday, we will attempt Wilmington’s largest ever YMCA dance!” He looked at me skeptically before asking if I knew it came out in 1978. (It’s flattering to be mistaken for young sometimes.) Pollock and company are giving away free ice cream for a year to one lucky recipient. Oh. My. God! Lest I get sidetracked by my deep personal relationship with chocolate and black cherry in Coca-Cola, Pollock quickly reminded me The Scoop has hot dogs, too. “Everybody knows us as ice cream, but they are amazed at the combinations of food we have!” he says. They serve “The Elvis,” a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich, as well as a taco dog, a BLT dog or the sinfully inviting Mardi Gras dog: a bacon-wrapped hotdog covered in corn, okra and tomatoes. “I love having a great Nathan’s hotdog for lunch, finished with Rocky Road and strawberry ice cream piled high on a waffle cone,” Nancy Bullock, manager of The Cotton Exchange, says. Ever excited about new possibilities, Pollock has announced that, during the birthday party, three new hot dog combinations will be available for guests to sample. They’ll also be asked to vote for their favorite. “We’re letting Wilmington choose the next dog!” Pollock exclaims. “Really, though, this is our thank you to Wilmington for letting us be part of this awesome downtown. I come to work every day with a spring in my step.” “The Cotton Exchange is delighted to help them celebrate 35 years of business in this historic location,” Bullock notes. “As one of the original tenants, The Scoop [may not] predate Baskin Robbins [ed. note: est. 1945], but their ice cream is better!”