When people step into “You Scream,” they should plan to experience a fun, welcoming place, where they will see lots of tie-dyes merchandise, receive excellent customer service, and of course, enjoy delicious ice cream.
Everyone knows the old rhyme, “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream,” and while people may not literally be screaming when they go into “You Scream,” they will have an opportunity to enjoy some screamin’ ice cream, screamin’ cakes and screamin’ coffee.
“I want them to know that this is a fun, little ice cream shop that is going to put Cañon City on the map more than it already is,” said Chris Brady, who opens “You Scream” at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the former Cup and Cone location at Fourth Street and Royal Gorge Boulevard. “I want this to be a tourist destination that people will say, ‘Remember that cool, little ice cream shop in Cañon City? We need to go back again.'”
Brady offers 23 different flavors of Blue Bell ice cream, and he plans to expand his inventory to include other popular national brands, as well as handmade ice cream cakes and dinner cakes.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Brady doesn’t plan on opening the dine-in area just yet, but people are invited to stop in to order a cup of ice cream or an ice cream cone and enjoy it in the park or elsewhere. In the not-too-distant future, he also will open his coffee offerings.
“We will offer coffee, and I wlll bring back my ever-popular cakes,” he said. “People still to this day ask to order cakes.”
Brady, 41, has been making and decorating cakes since he was 7. He will offer round and square decorated cakes and half-sheets, but none for weddings.
He will host a grand reopening this fall after he completes a complete remodel, and he plans to expand the outdoor patio seating area.
Jeri Fry opened the Cup and Cone on Sept. 1, 2012. She had been preparing the shop for the last couple of years to sell so that she could retire, but Brady at first wasn’t ready to take the plunge. Things recently lined up in his life to where he knew it was time. They closed the deal Friday.
Fry said she saw in Brady the same thing she felt when she first opened the ice cream shop. She said she is pleased that he is the buyer, and she has full confidence that he will do a great job in moving the business forward.
“Chris and I have known each other for years – I knew he had an entrepreneurial background, and I also knew he had desire,” Fry said. “I think he’ll do a marvelous job.”
The Cup and Cone had been closed since Dec. 23 after someone had turned off the business’ power in the alleyway while Fry was out of town, causing the loss of all of the cakes and everything in the refrigerators. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit food businesses hard, forcing doors shut until restrictions slowly could be lifted.
Brady plans to slowly incorporate his new business name, logo and brand into the shop.
“I am just happy to be able to do this finally and give back to my city,” Brady said. “This is home; it will always be home.”
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily. For more information, follow You Scream on Facebook.