Sage Stoker scoops ice cream into a chocolate-rimmed cone at Violets and Cream ice cream shop in Medford. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune]
Sage Stoker scoops ice cream into a chocolate-rimmed cone at Violets and Cream ice cream shop in Medford. [Andy Atkinson / Mail Tribune]
To win even more customers than it could wrangle at a tiny Jacksonville location, Violets and Cream recently debuted a new Medford shop with everything from retro-style soda fountain treats to vintage candy and in-house crafted ice cream for customers of the four-legged variety.
Mom-son duo Laura Smith and Sage Stoker operate out of McAndrews Marketplace, near See’s Candies and Wayback Burgers.
Violets and Cream’s Jacksonville location, at 150 S. Oregon St., opened in March 2019, only a year before the pandemic forced so many local businesses into closure. Turns out, locals still really wanted — and maybe even needed — their favorite ice cream counter to keep scooping.
Husband and dad of the two devoted ice cream scoopers, Andy Smith said the shop maintained a surprising following during COVID closures while other businesses were struggling in a very real way.
“It went in the year right before the pandemic happened and somehow did just fine during all the COVID closures. They have a lot of very loyal customers who have even been driving over from Jacksonville to support them here,” he said.
Having worked in education, retail and other areas for local companies, Laura Smith always dreamed of having her own shop.
She started with a slew of quality retail items, such as bags and blankets in addition to vintage candy. A couple of months after opening, a representative from BJ’s Ice Cream company in Florence visited the shop to chat about featuring their small-batch, all-natural ice cream.
“We offered it on Mother’s Day weekend, and it was an instant hit,” she said. “It was so busy, everyone was coming in.”
The decor in the Medford location is a nod to the Holly Theatre, with a retro-style couch and old wallpaper, teal paint and vintage-style lights.
Diggity Dog Ice Cream, a Violets and Cream creation, is offered at both locations and in retail containers at Red Dog Pet Supply stores in Jacksonville, Rogue River and Eagle Point. They’re also working on a “Violets and Cream” flavor for their non-canine customers.
Even with all the fun flavors and creations, said Sage Stoker, simple ice cream scoops and shake and float combinations made from ice cream and vintage sodas are constant favorites. Old-fashioned phosphates and egg creams will debut on the Medford menu in coming months, Laura Smith said, and she hopes to create a sort of co-op to feature other local products.
Andy Smith said the biggest draw is good, old-fashioned customer service.
“Laura and I are old enough that we’ve experienced the whole range of really good and really bad customer service. The workforce is different than it used to be, so a really great customer service experience really stands out.”
“One of our main focuses is just to be different than the other shops and have a really wonderful product,” Laura said. “What we have is all natural, and the ingredients are primarily sourced from Oregon — like cherries from Hood River and huckleberries from Florence.”
Violets and Cream is open in Medford from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
The Jacksonville location is open 1-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
See violetsandcream.com/collections/ice-cream
Reach reporter Buffy Pollock at 541-776-8784 or bpollock@rosebudmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @orwritergal.