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Lick me, I’m dripping.
That’s the sign that greets customers as they enter Dave Reynoso’s new enterprise, Dave’s Drip House Ice Cream & Cereal Bar in Santa Barbara.
Reynoso, the owner and founder of Dave’s Dogs, has expanded from gourmet hot dogs to elite ice cream with a twist.
“You can take any flavor of ice cream and mix it with any kind of cereal, creating your own flavor,” Reynoso said. “We’re also doing funnel cakes topped with different toppings and cereals.”
Reynoso gave a reporter a tour on Thursday of the new shop, inside the Turnpike Shopping Center at 193 S. Turnpike Road. He plans a soft opening next week.
The Drip House is more than an ice cream shop. It’s also an art gallery, full of Instagram-worthy spots, such as the specially made swinging ice cream sandwich, the vintage, classic pink pay phones on the wall, the ice cream cone with the word “Brr,” inspired by hip-hop artist Gucci Mane, and strawberry swirl floors.
Undoubtedly, however, is the neon pink interior sign against a backdrop of green that reads, “Lick me, I’m dripping,” with an ice cream cone on the side.
“It’s something very catchy for Instagram, since ice cream melts,” Reynoso said.
Every couple of months he plans to change the layout to keep the shop looking fresh. What’s there now is fantasy and dream-like, as though walking into the real life world of the game Candy Land.
Reynoso, who grew up in Santa Barbara, began his entrepreneurial journey when he opened a hot dog cart on lower Milpas Street in 2015, then opened a restaurant on Turnpike Road near San Marcos High School.
The Drip House also will offer shakes, “twisters,” which are like McFlurries, and specialty lemonades. People also can enjoy cookie sandwiches, even pick the cookies and ice cream out on the spot, and roll them in different toppings.
“You’ll have your own creation of a cookie sandwich,” Reynoso said. “It feels really good to be able to provide to the community, especially when they give back by supporting my business. This is basically for them, to have another spot where they can hang out and have a fun dessert.”
Reynoso’s wife, Cynthia, said she is looking forward to opening the store, after more than four years in the making.
“I am really looking forward to seeing David’s work come to life,” she said. “It’s all him. This is his idea. We’re excited.”
Downtown Santa Barbara Award Nominations Still Open
There is still time to nominate companies for the Downtown Santa Barbara Annual Awards.
Robin Elander, executive director of Downtown Santa Barbara, said the group is accepting nominations for businesses, people and organizations “that make our community thrive.”
Categories include Entrepreneur of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Business Champion of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.
To nominate an individual or business, email Elander at robin@downtownsb.org, with the name of the person or business and why you believe they are deserving of one of the above awards.
The awards breakfast will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Feb. 15 at the El Paseo Restaurant, 813 Anacapa St.
Greenspan Hired at Law Firm
Angela Greenspan is the newest attorney at Fauver, Large, Archbald & Spray LLP.
She will focus on business law and estate planning.
She received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from California Lutheran University earned her juris doctorate from the Santa Barbara College of Law.
Greenspan is also a licensed real estate agent and co-founder of schoolofbookkeeping.com, which offers self-paced learning for accountants, bookkeepers, and business owners.
“These entrepreneurial endeavors have given her direct insight into the intricacies of business operations, as well as an understanding of the importance of a secure business foundation, making her a successful legal strategist for her corporate clients,” according to a news release.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Greenspan to our team,” said Trevor Large, the firm’s managing partner. “With her background in real estate and experience running her own business, and her legal expertise, we believe she will be a valuable asset to our firm and clients.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.