Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Beebe-Giudice & Christine Sayler.
Hi Christine & Alex, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We met in Juneau, Alaska almost 10 years ago at a small heliport where both of us were employed in the tourism industry. For several years, we found great joy in the wilderness of the Last Frontier and were fortunate to spend many seasons exploring the oceans, glaciers, and forests for work and pleasure.
As the pandemic paused travel to southeast Alaska, we began to explore opportunities to open a small business of our own in Grand Marais, Minnesota. This little town, nestled between Lake Superior and the Great Northwoods, offered easy access to the wilderness, a wonderful community, and a seasonal influx of summer residents and travelers. Alex was also familiar with the area, having spent several summers working at the end of the Gunflint Trail and a winter training sled dogs north of town.
Christine, however, knew nothing of Grand Marais! We made a point to stop in Grand Marais several times during numerous road trips to and from Alaska, checked out several commercial properties, and started developing a business plan. In April of 2022, we packed up and moved to Grand Marais, spent 6 weeks renovating a 100-year-old building, and opened Superior Creamery on June 4, 2022!
We love to make delicious food and ice cream just as much as we love to eat it. We’re committed to promoting local food producers as much as possible, making everything we can from scratch, creating a positive and growth-focused work environment, and maintaining a space where all are welcome.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s been a great challenge, and a fun one, for sure!
Prior to May 2022, neither one of us knew much about making ice cream. We taught ourselves and spent countless hours developing recipes, sampling small batches, and seeking feedback from taste testers. We didn’t really get into ice cream making until mid-May 2022, once our renovations were complete, so our timeline was definitely accelerated. I’d say that learning how to make delicious ice cream on a larger scale while building the restaurant’s operational systems in just a few weeks was the greatest challenge.
We started serving food in late June – this was a bit easier than the ice cream, largely due to prior experience in food service and management. Still, we expanded into food in just a few short weeks after opening and burnt the candle at both ends.
As you know, we’re big fans of Superior Creamery. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Superior Creamery offers handcrafted small-batch ice cream and delicious food in downtown Grand Marais.
Made daily in our kitchen by the saltless sea, our ice cream and food feature the finest Minnesota dairy and premium ingredients. In addition to scoops, sundaes, sandwiches, and fresh-cut french fries, enjoy espresso and drip coffee, draft root beer, and kombucha. Indoor and covered outdoor seating, dog-friendly patio, and pints to go!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.superiorcreamery.com
- Instagram: @superiorcreamery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuperiorCreamery
