Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats Prepares For Alexandria Opening

ALEXANDRIA, VA — When Brandon Byrd was growing up, the first dessert he learned to make was banana pudding. He recalls his mother's instructions not to let the custard burn or curdle. Byrd took those lessons and desserts from his childhood and built his own business.

Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats has been serving up Wisconsin-style frozen custard out of a vintage van since 2012, but now Byrd is preparing to open a brick-and-mortar location in Alexandria. Goodies specializes in frozen custard treats that Byrd grew up with, such as rum cake, banana pudding and brownie sandwiches. The custard is made fresh daily in DC.

The business will be located at the Ice House, a historic building that has been vacant for at least 20 years. Byrd told Patch he aims to have the 200 Commerce Street location ready by Labor Day weekend.

Byrd is originally from Alabama, but he's lived in California and Wisconsin before settling in the DC region and building his business. He believes direct exposure to a cuisine builds more credibility than simply reading it in a book.

"Credibility is everything," he said. "You have to be true to yourself first, and people will respect that more."

Byrd built the Goodies brand to evoke Classic Americana culture, bringing back memories of the days when Motown, doo-wop and vintage cars ruled. He believes Old Town's vibe and architecture fit with his brand.

"I personally like that main street feel that you get in Old Town," he said. "It's just a really good fit for Goodies."

As the Black Lives Matter movement strengthens in the aftermath of George Floyd's death, Black-owned businesses like Goodies have seen extra promotion in Alexandria. But Byrd urges customers to judge him on the quality of business, because he doesn't want his skin color to take precedence over the hard work that created Goodies. He wants to be judged for moments like serving customers in 95-degree weather, or lending a customer an umbrella when it's raining.

"I want people to support me because I have a good product and business," he said. "Take color out of the equation and just say, 'is the product good? Is the customer service good? Is the pricing fair?'"

Goodies hasn't gone without challenges during the pandemic. It has gone from running six to seven days parked near major work locations to just weekends. There also haven't been the corporate events, weddings and other events Goodies would normally serve.

"The new normal is trying to work with less and trying to achieve the same results as a year ago," he said. "You just learn how to pivot and learn creative ways to work with less."

Nevertheless, regulars will show up to get their rum cake and other delicacies, which can lead to Goodies selling out before the scheduled end time. The van is also willing to visit an apartment complex if requested.

While the brick-and-mortar location is being finalized, Goodies fans can satisfy their cravings with pop-ups on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Goodies van is typically in front of the Ice House in Alexandria on Saturdays, while Sundays are located at DC's Eastern Market. Weekly schedules and updates are shared on Goodies' Instagram page.