Ample Hills Founders To Open Ice Cream Shop In Prospect Heights

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — A new ice cream shop owned by the one-time founders of Brooklyn's Ample Hills Creamery is coming to Prospect Heights.

The ice cream makers, who left after Ample Hills was bought last year, have signed a lease for a new space on Washington Avenue near St. Johns Place, real estate brokerage firm TerraCRG announced.

The new spot, which will be called The Social, will open later this summer and feature ice cream, coffee, donuts, production space for the company and a community gathering space, according to the announcement.

“Ice cream has the power to transport us to a world of imagination, where we can be children again, alive with magic, a world where everything in life, in the universe, remains possible,” Ample Hills co-founder Jackie Cuscuna said. “That’s what we’re after with every scoop – to gather people together to bridge divides and build community.”

The 2,700-square-foot space is found on the ground floor at 814 Washington Ave. The new shop will take inspiration from a traditional ice cream social by hosting parties, classes and monthly events to raise money for local causes.

It comes a year after Ample Hills filed for bankruptcy and was bought by manufacturing company Schmitt Industries, which allowed its locations to stay open in New York City. Cuscuna and co-founder Brian Smith left soon after the acquisition and began planning their next venture.

“Despite the lingering effects of the global pandemic, Brooklyn’s homegrown businesses are resilient, and Jackie and Brian are perfect examples of the spirit and tenacity of our local retailers,” TerraCRG's Peter Schubert said. “We are thrilled to have found this location to help Jackie and Brian return to the neighborhood where their ice cream journey began – and offer a unique experience to residents looking for new places to reconnect.”