Salt & Straw expands further, opening new store in WA this Friday

The Salt & Straw ice cream legacy continues Friday as the Portland-based company is expanding further into Washington with a new Bellevue creamery.

The grand opening of Bellevue’s Salt & Straw location will take place at 10415 N.E. 4th Street with a whole weekend of celebrations planned, Salt & Straw announced.

First 100 Salt & Straw customers score surprise gift cards at Bellevue’s grand opening

On opening day, the first 100 Salt & Straw fans to line up at the doors will receive surprise gift cards, ranging in amounts that will cover everything from an ice cream flight to an entire year’s worth of Salt & Straw ice cream.

The celebration continues that same day with an exclusive debut of Salt & Straw’s upcoming May Flower Series one week ahead of its national release.

On Saturday, all guests who purchase a single scoop of ice cream will receive a complimentary kids scoop, alongside a themed coloring book page.

To round out the weekend of events, Salt & Straw will host a special pop-up with Bellden Cafe, which will be in the shop with an affogato bar from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Customers can pair one of Bellden’s signature coffees with their favorite Salt & Straw flavor.

Salt & Straw offers a wide variety of flavors, including its monthly menu series with ice cream concoctions such as the “Peanut Butter and Jelly Pound Cake,” the “Cherry Red Velvet Cheesecake,” or the “Chocolate Date Tiramisu Stracciatella” flavor.

The ice cream shop also provides traditional flavors like “Double Fold Vanilla,” which has double the vanilla beans, and “Freckled Mint Chocolate Chip,” which includes pure Oregon mint oil.

Customers can grab a single scoop cup for $6.95 or a double scoop cup for $8.95, and adding a waffle cone on the side costs $1.65. Salt & Straw also sells its ice cream by the pint for $12.50 and a “Pup Cup” for $3.75.

Salt & Straw story began in a basement with 4 used ice cream makers

In August 2011, cousins Kim and Tyler Malek opened Salt & Straw’s first brick-and-mortar store on N.E. Alberta Street in Portland. The idea was spurred by Kim’s dream for a community gathering space, one that could be shared with neighbors, family, and friends.

“The answer was clearly an ice cream shop,” Salt & Straw stated. “But there was a catch: Neither had ever made ice cream before.”

Tyler didn’t fear being a novice ice-cream maker and set off on the journey by purchasing four used ice cream makers for $16, and got to work. Tyler spent countless hours working inside his own “Wonka-verse,” also known as Kim’s basement, concocting and testing various flavor profiles.

While Tyler was mixing and mastering some of the many fan-favorite flavors locals have grown to love today, Kim emptied out her savings and bought an ice cream cart.

“The two of them turned to their community, asking friends — chefs, chocolatiers, brewers, and farmers — for advice, finding inspiration everywhere they looked,” Salt & Straw stated. “Add in a bit of magic and madness, and that’s the gist of how Salt & Straw came to be.”

Since Salt & Straw’s inception, the local favorite ice cream shop has grown to nearly 60 locations across eight states, with 16 stores in Washington and Oregon.

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