Will peddle for ice cream

A walk down Main Street in Los Angeles’ Banking District is full of discoveries. The area is in transition as old bank buildings are becoming high end eateries and galleries while established businesses like Gillie’s Sport Shop and the Toy district remain. On a recent, hot afternoon it was especially exciting to find an artisanal ice cream store, Peddler's Creamery.

At first glance I saw a bike in the lobby and thought, “How cool, you can bring your bicycle inside!” I was wrong. Most bikes stay at the curb however the one in question was a vital part of the business. Biking's an important aspect of creating the organic, fair trade, vegan as well as dairy based desserts that Peddler's Creamery is rapidly becoming famous for.

Owner and sustainability advocate, Edward Belden, surprisingly kept his love of the tasty, cold and sweet confection after his first job at Baskin Robbins. When he got serious about creating original flavors using ‘green’ ingredients, he ventured to Wisconsin, the dairy capital of the country, to learn more and has been building his flavors and his fan base ever since. Often spotted at bike-friendly LA events, Belden has been serving tasty cones as a two-wheeled vendor at farmers markets and other community gatherings like CicLAvia and the Hammer Museum’s Bike Night.

Setting up shop has spun him into greater notoriety. After locating a space in the newly renovated Genesis Apartments near Fifth on Main Street, he enlisted LEED certified Los Angeles Architect, Oonag Ryan, to streamline the storefront. It’s now a vision of cool with bright stripes and the aforementioned bicycle alongside the counter. Creating ice cream by bike takes a smooth, pedaling rhythm, Belden discovered. Now, behind the scenes his ever-bicycling staff each create about a tub hourly. Belden has also designed a way keep the rhythm and speed consistent in the lobby as visitors can work while waiting for their scoops.

Unfortunately, he can’t get locally grown vanilla or chocolate (he calls them exotics), but most of his ingredients are organic and sourced from California. His labor of love seems to be working. Since opening this month, Yelp reviews are glowing, especially about the generous scoops of vegan, Mexican Chocolate made with coconut milk. The culinary and healthy options at Belden’s ice cream emporium are a refreshing addition to the downtown LA revival and it’s unanimous, even if you aren’t crazy about ice cream, you must venture in and ride the bike.

Peddler's Creamery is located at 458 S. Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Photo courtesy of the Library of Virginia, Flickr Creative Commons