Local Ice Cream Shop Opens In Alexandria Saturday

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Nicecream, an Arlington-based shop that makes ice cream fresh from liquid nitrogen, is expanding to Old Town Alexandria Saturday.

The shop, located at 726 King St., is hosting a grand opening Saturday, April 8 at 11 a.m. The first 50 guests will receive free ice cream. The next 300 guests will receive sweet giveaways hidden in the store. Children can participate in an ice cream eating contest at 3 p.m.

Regular store hours will be:

• Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
• Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m.- 11 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

When people walk into Nicecream, they will not see freezers, because all ingredients are fresh from local vendors. Customers choose one of eight flavors, which rotate weekly based on the season. The ice cream crafter adds milk, cream and sugar and other fresh ingredients to a machine. When liquid nitrogen is added, the machine releases a cold vapor, and the ice cream is ready within one minute.

Co-owner Sandra Tran told Patch that the ingredients come from vendors at local farmer's markets, where Nicecream initially started out. In 2014, Tran and co-owner Gilbert Welsford opened their first shop in Clarendon.

Tran, a native of Northern Virginia, knew that Alexandria would be a good fit when many visiting the Clarendon shop and its website were from Alexandria. She said the city and neighbors have been welcoming as Nicecream has prepared to open.

"Alexandria, especially Old Town, has always been a place where my family would go out to dinner, for fun. It's where whenever anyone visited, I took them to walk around," she told Patch. "It's such a gem for Northern Virginia."

First two images via Nicecream; Last two images via M. Enriquez for Visit Alexandria