Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Rodriguez.
Andrew, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started in the Ice Cream business in 2012 as the owner of Coney’s Cones, on the Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn. NY. We were the first homemade shop on the boardwalk in decades and loved the incredible spirit and energy we found there. We had an amazing run and were proudly a part of the revitalization there, which is still taking place today.
My wife Suzanne and I moved to Miami a couple of years ago with the intention of building a place that was different than what we had. .We envisioned something more intimate and more personal. Suzanne is my partner in the business and so much of what we’re doing here is because of her amazing creativity.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh, hell no! We took a serious detour with a failed business that really strained us both financially and emotionally. There is a real sense of defeat when you realize something you put so much of yourself into just isn’t going to work out. As a business owner, so much of your identity is wrapped up in your pursuits that it is a real ego blow.
It’s a grieving process you go through, where you’re also doubting yourself and your desire to on. Once you’re all cried out, maybe you can fall back in love with the idea of starting over.
Midtown Creamery is a real labor of love in and of itself. We face and overcome challenges everyday, Part of the beauty of entrepreneurship is celebrating those little victories.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Midtown Creamery – what should we know?
We started Midtown Creamery with the idea of making the absolute best ice cream people have ever had. Our goal was to ruin people for all other ice cream. I personally don’t take anything seriously except my need to do this exceptionally well. We call it BOMB-ASS ICE CREAM!
We also knew from the beginning that we wanted a real sense of fun and creativity to shine through in all our creations. We get a huge kick when we’re making something fun and fresh for our customers!
We also love making real connections with our customers, asking our new friends about their day, their kids, their dogs… Just plopping a scoop into a cup and sending them off with a “Thank You” doesn’t work for us at all.
Additionally, we wanted to provide that exceptional and personable service to every customer, every visit, every time. Customers deserve our singular attention and our best effort with every visit. It’s very hard finding people with the same mentality, but we’re not going to have it any other way.
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I’m a real person, not some “celebrity chef.”
I’m very proud that Midtown Creamery is a real local family owned spot, an actual “Hole in the Wall” This isn’t a “concept Everything here happens very organically and is a reflection of the work,.love and dedication Suzanne and I put in seven days a week to make this place shine.
Everyday at least one customer will let us know they love what we’re doing here and we feel very honored to have earned that recognition.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2690 Northeast 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL 33137 - Website: www.midtowncreamery.com
- Phone: 7865362281
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram,com/midtowncreamery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midtowncreamery
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
