-November 20,2019
SLO-based Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab will open a storefront on Main Street in Visalia next year says a representative for the company.“We’re in final negotiations to locate in the former Sushi place” at 120 W Main St – next to Sequoia Brewing. ”We expect to be open by June says company investment coordinator Cheryl Wakefield.
The ice cream parlor would be the 6th location for the fast growing chain that was launched in Arroyo Grande in 2003. Co founder Greg Steinberger began selling shares to grow the company in 2013. Now the say they want to open 100 shops by 2026. They promote their handcrafted, super-premium ice cream not only at their own shops but at other third party outlets as well like Bravo Farms in Kettleman City.
Rumors are they want to open in Fresno but the good vibe of Downtown Visalia appears to fit well with the company philosophy of promoting “Main Street USA.”
The company does business with local milk companies including Producers Dairy and Top O’ The Morn Farms.
The firm now has a production facility in Grover Beach, corporate headquarters in San Luis Obispo along with stores in Arroyo Grande, SLO, Santa Maria and most recently in Chico and soon Sacramento and Visalia.
“As proud as we are of the ice cream we are especially excited by plans for community engagement” says Wakefield, looking to give back to the communities they locate in.
Besides ice cream the company sells a wide variety of speciality goods like hand crafted chocolates,cakes and other novelties.
Helping to attract the ice cream retailer to Visalia is local developer Harvey May.