Last July, Salt & Straw debuted its first Arizona location within the Epicenter at Agritopia mixed-use shopping mall in Gilbert. On the opening day, crowds of artisan ice cream fans eagerly waited under red striped umbrellas and cool misters.
"We’ve been overwhelmed by the warm welcome we’ve received in Arizona,” says Salt & Straw co-founder Kim Malek.
Cousins Kim and Tyler Malek co-founded the popular ice cream company in 2011. Today, Salt & Straw has more than 40 storefronts across the country.
Salt & Straw swirls into the Valley
Salt & Straw is set to expand its footprint in Arizona with two new scoop shops, one in Phoenix and another in Tempe.In Phoenix, Salt & Straw will join a lineup of homegrown and chain eateries when it moves into Uptown Plaza. The historic Valley landmark and shopping center on the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Camelback Road is home to Chula Seafood, Elly’s Brunch Cafe, Flower Child, Scoopwell’s Dough Bar, Zookz Sandwiches, Dynamite Beer, The Heny, Horse & Hyde, Sushi Vibe, Shake Shack, Chipotle and Nekter Juice Bar.
The Tempe scoop shop location will be tucked inside Novus Place, a newly developed entertainment district in the heart of Tempe within the Novus Innovation Corridor. Salt & Straw will have no shortage of culinary neighbors when it opens in Tempe. Current tenants of Novus Place include Over Easy, Flower Child, Eureka!, Blue Sushi Sake Grill, Nautical Bowls, Blanco Cocina + Cantina, The Alley, North Italia and Starbucks.
“Opening a location in the core of North Central Phoenix and expanding to Tempe allows us to deepen our roots in the Valley and connect with even more of this incredible community,” Malek says.
Malek notes that each of the two neighborhoods offers its own distinct energy. And she’s right. Uptown Plaza is positioned in the center of some of Phoenix’s most historic neighborhoods, including Medlock Place, St. Francis, Windsor Square and Pierson Place. It’s also one of the more walkable communities in the metro area. In Tempe, Novus Place is just steps away from the downtown core, Tempe Town Lake and the Arizona State University campus.
“We can’t wait to scoop for both," she says.
The pair of new scoop shops is expected to debut this fall. Specific opening dates have yet to be announced. Until that time comes, chocolate gooey brownie and double fold vanilla fans can savor scoops, cones and pints at the Gilbert location of Salt & Straw.
Salt & Straw
100 E. Camelback Road, #104 (Coming soon)690 S. Novus Place, #175 (Coming soon)
3150 E. Ray Road, Gilbert (Currently open)
