Business & Tech

Coolhaus Setting Up Shop in Old Pasadena

The mobile ice cream sandwich sensation could take root in Pasadena by the end of April. The location at the corner of Raymond and Colorado would be Coolhaus' second storefront, after Culver City.

Freya Estreller remembers roaming Old Town Pasadena with friends years ago, and she can still conjure up images of places like the Jamba Juice, a tattoo parlor and a pawn shop, all near the intersection of Raymond and Colorado, where you can find Intelligentsia and Umami Burger.

Now she's coming home, and she's bringing the might of ice cream sandwiches with her.

The Mayfield Senior School alum (class of 2000) will soon be professional neighbors with some of the places from years past when she and partner Natasha Case open the second-ever storefront location of Coolhaus, the ice-cream sandwich/architecture fusion concept that built its frozen legend on the wheels of its ice cream trucks.

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Since the company's brain-freezing impact at Coachella in 2009, Coolhaus trucks are treating ice-cream lovers throughout Los Angeles, New York, Austin and Miami. And for those who miss the truck (you can track them on social media), Coolhaus sandwiches can also be found at Whole Foods and other retailers. There's also a Coolhaus storefront in Culver City.

"I'm super excited to give 21 Choices a run for their money," Estreller said of the upcoming Pasadena store. "(Old Town) is slowing starting to change ... I remember playing pool at Jake's and Jake's is still there. I remember shopping at Urban Outfitters and being really excited when Forever 21 came there."

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The Coolhaus concept merges ice cream goodness with principles of architecture, a nod to Case's intricate architecture background. Flavor combinations are named after architects and architectural concepts, which drives forward Coolhaus' marriage of food and architecture -- or "farchitecture", as the pair calls it.

But just because Case isn't drawing up plans for buildings all the time doesn't mean she's put her all architecture knowledge in the rearview mirror.

"I don't feel like I really left. I do a lot of design work, I do sections and plans of the trucks, and I work with a lot of people in the design field," she said. "I may be on the 'fringe' in some ways, but I still think I'm part of that Venn diagram to some degree."

The storefront location will take up the spot formerly occupied by the Linus bike pop-up shop at the corner of Raymond and Colorado, keeping it sandwiched between Intelligentsia and the aforementioned pawn shop. Case said opening day could be near the end of April.

Both women built up the brand while working full-time jobs, sometimes to the chagrin of family and friends who wondered why they'd pursue making ice cream instead of staying on a more conventional path. But 10 trucks, one cart and a storefront later, they've learned a few lessons about building a business.

"We couldn't just throw a bunch of money at it ... we had to kind of go for it but be realistic and keep our day jobs," Estreller said. "I think a lot of people want to open a restaurant or bar and don't realize how hard it is. But you have to just do it. Don't sit there and analyze everything -- we call it 'analysis paralysis' -- it's not going to be perfect, but you have to just get it out there and figure it out."


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