A Match Made in Heaven: SugarBear’s New Spot Means Burgers and Ice Cream Down By the River
Högwaller Brewing is getting a new neighbor, and it’s a match made in heaven. SugarBear is opening its first ice cream parlor right next door. With Ian McCormick at the grill, the riverside brewery has quickly earned a reputation for smash burgers some call the best in town. (Junk Burger for life!). Now, you can get burgers and ice cream down by the river.
Until now, fans of SugarBear’s locally-made ice cream have had to find it at outlets like MarieBette, Foods of All Nations, and Tiger Fuel Markets. Starting this summer, with the opening of SugarBear’s first brick-and-mortar, they can drop in anytime to its home in the former Double Horseshoe Saloon, 1522 E. High Street. The location beside Högwaller and Rivanna River Company is intentional, said owner Emily Harpster, who imagines her parlor to be part of a bigger magic neighborhood and riverfront scene. “Tubing, kayaking, the riverfront trail, the sauna, cheeseburgers, beer, music, nature, firepits, ice cream, places to play, something for everyone,” said Harpster.
With renovation underway, SugarBear aims to be open by summer, and invites the community to follow along on its Instagram page. While the menu is still in the works, Harpster plans an ice cream float in honor of the Rivanna River Company, collaboration flavors with Högwaller brewer Mark Fulton, and ice cream pops for the kids. Meanwhile, if you want to see what all the hype is about, SugarBear is offering a free tasting Thursday March 14, from 1-3 pm, at The Market, 601 Preston Ave.
But, there’s more to this story than meets the eye. Harpster never intended for her business to be anything but wholesale. The heart-warming story of how SugarBear’s ice cream parlor came to be: Churning Narratives: Telling Stories With Ice Cream, SugarBear’s Emily Harpster is Writing a New Chapter.
