Stepping into Summer Salt Ice Cream Company is like walking into a sunny day, the magical chime of the bell on the door, the sweet scent of waffle cones baking rushes to greet you, the thoughtful color palette intentionally designed to evoke the vision of a bright, sunny day, even the restroom has a whimsical theme catering to children. All of your senses are engaged within moments of entering the quaint, ice cream shop.
Curtis and Amy Thurston opened Summer Salt in June of 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, taking over the space that was formerly home to Mely’s Ice Cream in Corinth Square. The couple share a background working in the hospitality industry and understand that customer service is key. “True Customer Service seems to be dying, and we wanted to bring that back again,” Curtis says.
When asked what their inspiration was Amy shares, “Curtis loves ice cream, I mean, he loves ice cream. So with our background in hospitality coupled with his love of ice cream, it just made sense. When we heard that Mely’s would be closing, a well-known community spot, it was a bit serendipitous.” Despite opening at the start of the pandemic they have managed to become successful owing in part to creative ideas like ample outdoor seating as well as their walk-up window. Customers can stay outdoors and order if they prefer, which can be comforting to some during a pandemic and helpful to others who have young children in strollers or pets in tow. Speaking of pets, listed on the menu are pupsicles and woof cream, so your dog can enjoy a treat too.
“The walk-up window definitely got us through Covid, along with the to-go pints,” Curtis says. He is referring to the freezer you see upon entering that is stocked with pints of various flavors of his house made ice cream ready to go.
Perhaps most unique about Summer Salt is that they feature gluten free and vegan alternatives. “We offer gluten free waffle cones that we have been told by the GF community are wonderful,” Amy says. “We offer over 10 flavors of vegan ice cream, and Curtis has made it his mission to perfect the recipes, using different bases.”
They are also known for their Boylan Soda floats in flavors such as black cherry, root beer and cream soda, and they have mastered the perfect ice cream sandwich. Everything is made in house, and they feature the usual favorites as well as specialty flavors such as Lavender and Honey made with local honey. In fact, supporting local is important to them as they feature Andre’s Chocolates and SAVA Vanilla for sale in the shop and use the products in their ice cream. Environmental consciousness is also on their radar as they use metal spoons, compostable cups and opt to be as green as possible.
With a second location opening this coming summer in the Ranch Mart area, the couple says that being in the ice cream business has been “overwhelmingly good.” Amy says, “we are a community spot, and every kid should be able to walk to an ice cream shop.”
Summer Salt Ice Cream is located at 4051 Somerset Dr, Prairie Village, KS 66208.