After 25 years of serving up scoops, the Georgetown Ben & Jerry’s location will be closing on Aug. 31.
The Georgetown ice creamery, a franchise location that’s owned and operated by Washingtonian Karen Morse, first opened its doors in 1994 and has since then been a mainstay for area residents and tourists alike.
“We appreciate the tremendous support of the local community and enjoy the visits from tourists all over the world,” a spokesperson for the self-declared social justice company told the Washington Business Journal, which first reported the news.
Soon enough the only other place in the District (outside of the ice cream aisle at your local grocery store) where you can get a scoop of Phish Food will be at the Ben & Jerry’s shop at The Wharf. That location, which opened in October 2017, is also owned by Morse.
“The Wharf location, in particular, was in an exciting, new community,” spokesperson Laura Peterson told DCist in an email. “We look for locations that have heavy foot traffic and a lot of tourism … we look for customers who are already in that mood, perhaps by being on vacation or going out for entertainment.”
Over the last couple of decades, the largely industrial waterfront has transformed into a hub for tourism and entertainment, bringing in new restaurants, new shops, and new residents. The Ben & Jerry’s shop was one of many newcomers.
There are still a handful of other ice cream shops in Georgetown (including Thomas Sweets and a Häagen-Dazs) and no shortage of desserts in the neighborhood that’s become best known for its cupcakeries, but this isn’t the first ice cream parlor that’s ditched Georgetown for The Wharf. Local gelato spot Dolcezza also shuttered its flagship M Street location in 2018, after opening a new location at The Wharf in December 2017.
While a new tenant hasn’t been determined for the Georgetown location, most of the store’s insides—including refrigerators, waffle cone makers, cow art, and blenders—are up for auction on Rasmus. Also up for grabs: the cow-shaped bench that’s sat outside the shop for patrons to perch on with their cones. As of Wednesday afternoon, the going price had reached just over $40.