Des Moines’ historic Highland Park is about to get a whole lot sweeter. After years of anticipation and recipe crafting, Scoops by Beth is officially opening its doors on Feb. 21, inviting the neighborhood to experience ice cream made with heart, heritage and a whole lot of dairy devotion.
Located at 523 Euclid Ave., the new ice cream shop adds a vibrant chapter to Highland Park’s ongoing revitalization. But for owner Beth Mensing, the debut of Scoops by Beth is far more than a business milestone — it represents more than a decade of dreaming, mixing, scooping and sharing joy one pint at a time.
A dream years in the making
Mensing’s ice cream journey started humbly in 2014, armed with little more than a stand mixer attachment and an instinct for crafting flavors that make people smile. Under the name Pints by Beth, her small-batch pints sold out instantly.
Mensing grew up in Des Moines, making ice cream with her grandmother, Norma, every Sunday in the summer. After her grandmother passed, the tradition continued with her grandfather as a way to continue that family tradition and spend more time with him.
In spring 2022, Mensing set out to build a brick-and-mortar shop, a place that honored her grandmother’s bowls, cherished diner memories and the retro charm that defined the Highland Park of generations past. Funding came together piece by piece, with support from Invest DSM, the Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization Grant Program, and a Kickstarter campaign finalized in July that raised nearly $39,000.
Meanwhile, property owner Bill Wheeler championed the project from day one, adding momentum to a district buzzing with entrepreneurial energy.
“This project has been a labor of love,” Mensing said in a news release. “Most people would have thrown in the towel at different points, but I trusted the process, leaned on those around me, and made sure the right people were involved. Even though I may run the business on my own, so many people have contributed to this project and will help me reach the finish line for opening day.”
A shop built on nostalgia and the neighborhood
Step inside Scoops by Beth and you’ll find a space that feels instantly familiar with warm tones, retro accents and a comforting, diner-inspired glow.
Mensing hopes visitors make a full Highland Park outing of it: dinner at nearby Lachele’s Fine Foods or Chuck’s, a drink at the Highland Underground, followed by a stroll down Euclid for dessert.
The shop will serve the seasonal, inventive flavors that built her cult-like following — each batch made with the whimsical indulgence that has become her signature. Some of the inventive flavors Mensing has created include chai, lemon bar, Thai basil mint and beer peach ice cream. Most recently, she offered affogato, jelly doughnut, cookies and cream, brown butter stracciatella and vegan salted coconut.
Where to find Scoops by Beth
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Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Scoops by Beth brings ice cream to Highland Park in Des Moines soon
Reporting by Susan Stapleton, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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