Crepe & Spoon: Finding the Sweet Spot

With the stress of the past year weighing on the shoulders of our communities, finding a bit of respite has become more critical than ever. For some, that respite takes the form of a sweet frozen treat, and Crepe & Spoon is here to provide, serving up scoops of vegan ice cream, creative crepes, and coffee drinks to boot.

Throughout the pandemic, Michael Beachy, owner of the quaint neighborhood ice cream parlor, has done his best to roll with the many punches dealt by Covid-19. “For a place like us, I don’t think we’ve seen nearly the impact that larger dine-in establishments have seen,” says Beachy. “On the more psychological side of things, though, it’s been kind of huge. My employees are constantly kind of spooked or rattled.”

Beachy describes an air of tension among employees and visitors, as well as the challenges of straddling the line between enforcing mask mandates and wanting customers to feel comfortable and have a good experience. “Especially as an ice cream shop, I want everyone to have a great time when they come in, like be happy and have ice cream.”

However, until Pandemics for Dummies hits bookshelves across the nation, “I personally don’t always know what the right thing to do is,” Beachy admits. He notes that while it has been hard on business, he fully supports the restaurant closures and limitations set in place over the last several months. Keeping his staff safe is a major priority, as well as trying to maintain business as usual—or, well, unusual.

While to many, the rollout of Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines is a welcome sign of a return to normal, Beachy shares a more cautious view. “I would like to see us slow it down again, which I don’t think is an opinion you’ll get from a lot of small business owners, but I’m concerned about that.”

Looking farther into the future, he sees a brighter reality closer to that of pre-Covid days. “I’m really excited for people to come in and have that old experience. I’ll be really jazzed when we get back to a more holistically happy ice cream experience.”

Crepe & Spoon can be found on the sunny side of the street at 339 22nd Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418. More information, including their updated menus and hours, can be found online at crepeandspoon.com.