In a town dominated by and known for its frozen custard, this ice cream shop is now considered one of the best spots for a frozen treat in the Cream City.
Founded in 2011, Purple Door Ice Cream is a Wisconsin-based ice cream shop that uses locally sourced ingredients to create a variety of unique flavors that can be customized in shakes, sundaes and cones. With over 200+ flavors in its catalogue, Purple Door is consistently switching up its 20-flavor “dipping cabinet.”
Purple Door is owned by partners Lauren and Steven Schultz, with the business beginning on their first date.
“When Steve and I went on our first date, I told him about this crazy idea to open an ice cream shop someday,” Lauren said. “He was the motivator to say, ‘We should give this a try’ – and so we did.”
The two were educators before their business partnership. Lauren worked in the Edina Public Schools District in Minnesota while Steven was a school counselor at a few high schools in the Minnesota and Wisconsin area.
The name “Purple Door” came from middle school-aged Lauren’s imagination. Her idea of opening an ice cream shop was a childhood dream, and she once discussed good business names with her friends.
“At that time, purple was my favorite color,” Lauren said. “Collectively, we all thought the name Purple Door sounded like a fun, welcoming place to have ice cream.”
The Purple Door of today took years of imagination, trying out flavors in their home kitchen and thinking about a storefront and design for the brand.
It began as a wholesale business, selling containers of ice cream to local grocers and restaurants. To run their operations, the couple used a rented-out kitchen space from Skyline Catering. The two would make ice cream at night and on the weekends while still juggling careers as educators and caring for their young children.
Lauren said that there was definitely a learning curve involved while the two continued to build the business.
“Neither Steve or myself had a business background, so we were learning things each step of the way,” Lauren said.
After about two years of establishing the brand and product through their wholesale business, the couple finally gained the funding they needed to begin production for their Walker’s Point location.
Purple Door’s continuous cycles of flavors make each visit for customers a surprise. While the shop has a few reliable flavors that stay in the case, such as vanilla, chocolate, mint chip and salted caramel, other flavors rotate throughout the month.
In the midst of Purple Door’s wide catalogue of flavors, exotic flavors like balsamic vinegar and butternut squash immediately stick out. Lauren Schultz said the inspiration for these new flavors often comes from staff, customers or local producers and chefs.
“Sometimes flavors are inspired by customers, who share with us a story about a flavor they tried in their childhood and how much they still think of that flavor,” Lauren Schultz said.
Purple Door’s website tracks the current flavors available at Walker’s Point and lists its entire catalogue. These flavors are marked with the tags “Usually Available,” “Sometimes Available,” “Limited Availability” and “Currently Unavailable.”
In addition to creativity and quality, Purple Door also prioritizes supporting the Milwaukee community and protecting the earth through its business. Whether it be through locally sourced ingredients or using compostable materials, Purple Door keeps community and sustainability at the forefront of its priorities.
One of Purple Door’s initiatives, Milk for Milwaukee, contributes 10 cents from every pint purchase and a portion of profits from other ice cream sales to provide local homeless shelters with fresh milk.
“Purple Door operates with what is called a triple bottom line,” Lauren said. “What this means is that with our business decision making, we look at three aspects – financial, environmental and social.”
It’s now been over 10 years since Purple Door’s initial launch, and those small beginnings have grown into two storefront shops, with its products being sold in local grocery stores to loyal fanbase.
“Perhaps what we are most proud of is the staff we get to work with and the community components of our business,” Lauren said. “We are certainly proud of the product we make, also, and we hope to keep producing great ice cream for Milwaukee for years to come.”
Visit Purple Door at its storefront at 205 S 2nd St. in Walker’s Point and at its location in the Mequon Public Market. To learn more about Purple Door, visit its website or Instagram, @purple.door.
This article was written by Elise Emery. She can be reached at [email protected].
