The Golden Scoop.

Overland Park ice cream shop The Golden Scoop opened in April 2021 to a line wrapped all the way around the block. Customers were there not just for the sweet treats but for the company’s mission – providing people with developmental disabilities meaningful work. The concept started as a conversation between Amber Schreiber, Kansas City native and president and CEO of The Golden Scoop, and her sister, Lindsay Krumbholz. Krumbholz had been working as an in-home therapist for individuals with disabilities. The parents and caretakers of these families would ask questions like, “What’s going to happen when we pass? Is my child going to have a meaningful job? How will they be taken care of?”

The two sisters took it upon themselves to address these uncertainties. Krumbholz researched and found a coffee shop on the East Coast and an ice cream store in Dallas, both of which employed people with disabilities. Schreiber worked out the business plan, drawing on her background in project management and business analytics. The two opened The Golden Scoop.

“It was a very emotional time, and we went through a lot of highs and lows,” Schreiber recalls. “We would get up at 3 a.m. and not close the shop until 11 p.m., but it was totally worth it.”

Schreiber and Krumbholz felt a connection to their community. When deciding how to begin their mission, they originally considered franchising, like the Howdy Homemade Ice Cream business they had researched. Eventually, they decided to build something themselves.

“Kansas City is so loyal to local businesses that we thought, We can do this on our own – we can make it happen organically and naturally,” Schreiber explains. “And it is totally worth it for the employees and for the community – coming out of COVID-19, it’s a place for customers to come and get that dose of happiness amidst the negativity and division.” She was surprised to see the wide variety of people coming to the store (“demographics all across the spectrum, where everybody has a sense of belonging and acceptance,” to hear her tell it), and the business just keeps growing.

Every one of The Golden Scoop’s employees, or super scoopers, lives with a developmental disability. The store started with 21 employees and boasts an 80-percent retention rate, largely because of the supports in place for the scoopers. The six managers of the store hold registered behavior technician certifications, are students or graduates in occupational therapy, or are retired kindergarten teachers with degrees in special education.

“They are amazing,” Schreiber says, “and they are challenging our employees every day to try new things and take risks.”

For instance, Ian – an “author of seriously silly literature for children,” according to his title on the website – had an interest in creative writing and web design. With the help of his mentors, he put together The Golden Scoop’s website.

Though the menu started with eight flavors, The Golden Scoop now offers 13 at the time of writing, including dairy-free vanilla, which Schreiber is quick to point out. Each month, one super scooper is selected to designate a flavor of the month, and he or she even helps with the marketing campaign.

The Golden Scoop has been wildly successful in providing delicious local ice cream, supporting individuals with disabilities, and bringing people together. But there are big plans on the horizon. Schreiber identifies several initiatives beginning this year, including sponsorship opportunities, partnerships, and working more with other local businesses and organizations.

For instance, Schreiber’s team is currently talking through a partnership with The University of Kansas Health System about hiring additional super scoopers to make and serve the ice cream within their hospitals. “It gets back to integration and collaboration,” Schreiber explains. While she had initially looked at selling The Golden Scoop’s product in retail spaces, she realized that there are a wealth of existing business and facilities to plug in to. “I don’t think there’s any city like Kansas City where people come together.”

The most challenging thing that Schreiber’s organization faces is the number of people with disabilities who need work. “There are roughly 250,000 adults with disabilities just in Kansas City,” she says, “and we have a waiting list of more than 35 people wanting to work.”

The Golden Scoop’s leadership is hopeful. Through capital contributions, sponsorship, partnering with existing resources, businesses, facilities, and schools (not to mention Lindsay and Amber’s combined experience), Schreiber believes “these opportunities are going to allow us to scale and employ more people with disabilities.”

Schreiber, her team, and her crew of super scoopers have learned a lot and enjoyed much success over the past two years. But, as she says, “we have a lot of work to do.”

About The Author

Though originally from a small town outside of Kansas City, Kansas, Matt Lancaster lives in Lawrence with his wife, son, dog, and cats, where he works as a program director for the University of Kansas School of Business.