Based on MSPD’s comment here, and a private suggestion from him in an e-mail last week, Kim and I made a stop at Luxury Sweets Gelateria located next to the now defunct Jan’s Brown Bag Deli and across from my other personal favorite, Two Guys from Italy.
We walked inside and found the large space quite empty. It wasn’t that there weren’t people inside, it was just that the available space wasn’t taken up by much. It was slightly uncomfortable but it kept my sights on the prize: the gelato.
I’m not a huge ice cream fan in any way. Kim, however, loves it. We don’t have Carvel ice cream stands out here in the Midwest (hell, there aren’t many — if any — left much of anywhere else either) but when I am in the mood, soft ice cream is my idea of good stuff. Gelato is a cross between hard and soft but offers some interesting flavor combinations while taking out the butterfat and extra crazy calories and adding in real fruit pieces.
After perusing the various items on display or for sale, one of the owners asked if we were interested in some gelato. I told her that I was and that I came specifically because the word on the street is that it is very good. She was surprised to hear this and asked if I saw anything I liked. Well, there were so many options, I really didn’t know what to start with. I asked her opinion on what she enjoyed and she directed me to the marscapone and strawberry. I went with a small cup of that and waited for Kim to taste the watermelon.
Kim said later that she thought that the watermelon would be the best option as it was the tub with the least gelato left but she found that it wasn’t for her. I gave her a quick taste of mine and she immediately settled on that and we were both very glad that we went with the smallest portion ($3.20) because it was piled on huge.
We paid and sat down inside and watched the steady trickle of people come through the door. There was never a line but there was always someone buying, trying, or licking their spoon. It was nice to see but I really can’t believe that Luxury Sweets will survive with that low of volume.
Now, with the new water feature filled Kelley Park across the street attracting what seems like just about everyone in Apple Valley with children, I would be there with a cooler full of gelato to give out samples. People would quickly make it a tradition to buy the ice cream and head over for some fun in the new park.
Overall, Luxury Sweets’ gelato comes HIGHLY recommended even from this ice cream hater ;) I loved the marscapone/strawberry and found that the gelato itself was on-par with some of the most excellent gelato that I have had elsewhere (including the East Coast!)
Kim and I will be back and we’ll be looking for something just as yummy. I have a feeling we won’t be disappointed by the variety.
See all the pictures from today here (mobile).
Related posts:
- 153rd St, Legacy Park, and Apple Valley Central Village: Apple Valley, MN
- Apple Valley Home and Garden Expo: Apple Valley, MN
- Low Voter Turnout at Apple Valley Precinct 16: Apple Valley, MN
- Rascal’s Apple Valley Bar and Grill: Apple Valley, MN
- Rascals Apple Valley Bar & Grill: Apple Valley, MN
Dakota Complaints Map
Dakota Inmate Dashboard
Loading ...
July 17th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Bill,
Thanks for the mention and I’m glad you liked it. I really hope these guys get out in the community and market their store. They, like the folks at Satay 2 Go, are really gracious and love to share information about gelato…IF you enter the store. Last time I was there, they had a portable cart sitting there so maybe they have plans to get out to the park, etc. If I ran the place, I’d be talking partnership with Kami, asking the people at the new LA Fitness if I could demo there some time, making friends with the Dunn Bros and (gasp) Two Guys From Italy crowd (hmmm…gelato and Italians…maybe I’m onto something) and getting face time in every public event in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Rosemount, Farmington and Lakeville.
I was bringing my kids there all winter last year and it was pretty quiet. Granted they had just opened and winter and gelato don’t mesh well but that’s all the more reason for them to get cracking on marketing and filling that huge space now while the getting’s good.
p.s. Bill, thanks for hosting this site. I appreciate this opportunity to publish my comments and to read others’ with the hope that those that are opening/running businesses in Apple Valley and the south metro can find useful, HONEST criticism and commentary from everyday people (as opposed to the glossy gladhanding they probably get all too often).
July 17th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Dave,
Kim was wondering how they will survive the winter and I mentioned that they did survive last winter. I’m sure that has a lot to do with their lack of inventory filling the vast expanse they lease.
I agree with your comments that they should be out there attempting to make partnerships with the local restaurants (going as far as Copper Bleu and beyond IMHO).
As for your PS: glad to offer the service and thanks for your excellent comments of late, I appreciate them far more than the “shutup you assface!” that I get all too often.
July 18th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Went for the Gelato per the recommendation. I tried a sample of the lifesavers and it was good, but it wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I went with the lime instead. It was very tart instead of the sickly sweet lime flavor you typically run into. It really hit the spot. The wife tried the chocolate. The chocolate was to die for! Not the typical chocolate… a much more three dimensional flavor. My daughter ordered the apricot. Her comment was that there was a whole lot of apricot flavor in a little tiny bite. We will be back. Thanks for the heads up on this place!
July 20th, 2007 at 10:30 am
I stopped by Luxury Sweets recently also and I loved the gelato. It was all I expected it to be and I’ll certainly be going back. I had lime and passion fruit, yum!
September 18th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
I love Luxury Sweets, I love all the choices of Gelatio, if I am looking and can’t decide on a flavor the owner offers a sample. There are alwasy new flavors some way out there but taste great. The chocolate case is wonderful, homemade carmels, chocolate covered smores and the homemade breads and muffins are yummy. We stop by and always clear the case out of the chocolate covered orange slices. Try the truffles!!!
September 19th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
I’m always happy to hear another voice of support for Luxury Sweets. I continue to enjoy it and hope they do well for years to come.
As I’ve mentioned before, I hope they step up the local marketing presence. My concern is greater now that Ring Mountain Creamery is open just off of Cliff Road and 35E in Eagan. Ring Mountain offers a huge selection (about 30 flavors at any given time) of very good gelato, but also about 30 flavors of ice cream, as well as coffee, sandwiches and salads.
Personally, I like the availability of both but I hope one doesn’t cause the other to go belly up (based on its location right next to a movie theater vs. a boarded up deli and boarded up kid’s theme restaurant, I worry a lot less about Ring Mountain).
January 8th, 2008 at 7:26 am
They are closed on Mondays during January.
January 10th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Thanks for posting that, Bill! It looked awfully dark in there when I was driving home from work on Monday. (I figured if anyone would know what was up, you would!)
January 10th, 2008 at 11:37 am
(I figured if anyone would know what was up, you would!)
Damn straight Patti! :)
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Looks like MSPD’s comment from last July about having a cart of ice cream is finally going to come true as in the July 24th City Council Agenda it lists:
September 18th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
I REALLY LOVED YOUR GELATO! It was very refreshing… somehow we got our plans mixed up and we had gelato before we ate lunch nearby and even so, the desert was very refreshing and I still had an appitite for lunch! This is because it wasn’t to fatty, you know, just perfect. I had lemon and raspberry and it was wonderful. Plus, the location was great, even though, sadly, I heard they were moving the building because of some difficulty. :)
September 18th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Random,
“I really loved their gelato!” — fixed that for you. Glad you liked it.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Random stated:
“I heard they were moving the building because of some difficulty”
As in the restraunt is changing locations? Or the building is actually being torn down? The first seems more plausible, as the space they had was about 5 times larger than they need. The second seems a bit severe.
September 18th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Chad, I haven’t a clue what that person is talking about. If they’ve survived this long w/o closing, I’m not quite sure why they would be leaving now.
September 20th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
I just looked at their web site…”We are being kicked out of our space by the building manager. We have been given until Sunday, September 21 at 5PM to vacate. Please check back for further updates.”
http://www.luxurysweetsonline.com
September 20th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Wow, thats to bad. We dont go often, but have been there a half dozen times or so. I hope they are able to land on thier feet and reopen in a decent location.
I dont know for sure, but if memory serves correctly, there are at least a couple empty spots in that building now. Wonder what the whole story is.
September 20th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
The only thing that would make sense to me is if someone wanted the old Green Jungle space and wanted something larger than that, as Luxury Sweets was adjacent to that. But still…why would you want to get rid of a business that is actually succeeding in your ill-fated building?
Hopefully they’ll land somewhere soon. (How about next to Panino Brothers?)
I’m dreading having to tell my Dad about this. He absolutely adores their chocolate covered caramels…
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:45 am
Ugh, this sucks. I don’t get that whole area to begin with. I hope they land somewhere else and are wildy successful. It’s ridiculous, but not suprising, that they are forced out of their location. I wonder what business will go in next. Geesh.
September 22nd, 2008 at 3:57 pm
They were told on Wednesday. How crappy is THAT? They do plan to re-open in another location as soon as they are able to. For the meantime, the phone number will remain active (it’s being hooked up as a second line at the owner’s house and will be active tomorrow) and they will continue to sell the candy at Flowerama in the interim.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I want to know what we’re missing from the story. No one in a lease gets 5 days notice to vacate unless there are extenuating circumstances.
October 13th, 2008 at 11:58 am
After driving by today and noticing the For Lease signs adorning the windows, i really want to know what the story was here. Obviously the building’s owner had no replacement in mind and was willing to lose whatever rent he might have gained from Luxury Sweets by bouncing them.
My theories include: 1) they weren’t paying rent on-time or at all or 2) they were told not to do something and they did it anyway.
If you have the real scoop, let us know.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Luxury Sweets has closed owing to the lack of available short term financing according to an article in the Star Tribune about how the credit crunch is causing troubles for small businesses. They have been approached about putting their products in a local supermarket chain but have been unable to get the financing needed to make that happen. They will re-open if they can.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
I have added the link to the article in the comment above.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Thanks Bill. I was lazy posting and didn’t put in the link. I was sorry to hear about them closing.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Anytime Tearitup. I was also disappointed as I really thought that they had some decent product but I was confused by their website postings talking about “pirates” and other nonsense. If you’re closing because you can’t pay the bills, that’s one thing but don’t go and give information to your customers that is anything except the straight and honest truth.
I lost a lot of respect for them by reading what they wrote after they closed.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
I just drove by and was devistated to see they were gone. I found your website when searching for theirs. As another perspective, could “building forts and fighting pirates” perhaps have something to do with spending more time at home, perhaps with a couple of boys. I know those are things I do on my days off.
This does certainly make the credit crunch hit closer to home.
October 16th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Ginie, thanks for giving me another way to look at the situation that I didn’t think of before.