Black-owned ice cream shop opens in downtown Winston-Salem
Dream Kreams Artisanal Creamery offers 30 flavors in both dairy and dairy-free options
Five years ago when Kyndra Bell made her first batch of ice cream, it was just something for her twin boys to do during the summer. But once her family members and friends got a taste of her homemade ice cream, it grew into something more. “I just made whatever was in the kitchen at the time and my mom and some of my friends told me I needed to sell it,” Bell explained.
After trying a few different flavors, Bell visited a local radio station and from there, business started to take off.
“I went to 102 Jamz and from there it was crazy … that first summer was insane. I didn’t think it was going to blow up like that at all,” Bell said. “I thought it would be something cute for the boys to do and it just turned into so much more.”
After selling the ice cream at local farmers markets, pop-ups, festivals, other events, and through pre-orders for the past five years, on Saturday, March 23, Bell opened her own shop, Dream Kreams Artisanal Creamery, which is located at 102 W. Third Street, Unit 102, in the same breezeway as Courtside Cafe.
Dream Kreams offers 30 different flavors of ice cream in both dairy and dairy-free options. The dairy-free options are nut, soy, and gluten free and most are also vegan friendly. And the best part is you don’t have to compromise on taste. While enjoying their ice cream, Stephen and Fran Page from Clemmons said there are other dairy free options in the stores, but none of them are as good as Dream Kreams. The Pages said they discovered Bell and Dream Kreams a few years ago and have been hooked ever since.
Bell said offering dairy-free options is her way of making Dream Kreams enjoyable for everyone.
“We don’t really have any spots that really cater to those who are lactose intolerant and about a year ago that was something I wanted to build on,” Bell said. “It took me about two years to come up with something that was perfect. I wanted to create a product that literally anyone can enjoy.”
In addition to all the fan favorites like Strawberry Crunch Cake, Biscoff Cookie Butter Crunch, White Chocolate Caramel Latte, and others, Dream Kreams will also offer pastries and other treats. Coffee Park Airstream, coffee and other drinks will also be available at Dream Kreams.
Bell said she had the opportunity to open a brick-and-mortar shop about two years ago at a different location, but it wasn’t what she was looking for. Earlier this year Tommy Priest, owner of the Coffee Park Airstream, which was named the best coffee drive-thru in the country by USA Today, approached Bell with another opportunity, and she jumped at the opportunity.
Priest, who is a big supporter of Dream Kreams, said he met Bell while she was vending at an event and he was instantly hooked. He said in addition to making the best ice cream he’s ever had, he could tell how passionate Bell was about her craft.
“It’s the passion, the creativity … this is artistry,” Priest said. “I’ve been supporting artists in this town since the mid-90s and what Kyndra is doing is art.”
For the past few weeks Bell has been working to bring her vision for the shop to life. Most of the work to renovate the space has been done by Bell and her close family and friends. She said it’s been a lot of long nights painting and making sure everything is in place for the grand opening, but it’s been worth it.
To give new customers a taste of what’s to come and give regulars a sneak peak at the shop, last weekend Bell held a soft opening.
While snapping a few photos of the hand-painted logo and countertops, Shawnda Anistead, who has known Bell for nearly 15 years said she was thrilled to see it all come together. Anistead was one of the first taste testers for Dream Kreams. “Just knowing everything she’s been through and obstacles she’s overcome, it feels good … I can’t even stop smiling,”Anistead laughed. “I’m really head over hills.”
Bell is already mapping out her future plans for Dream Kreams. Five years from now Bell said you will likely see more Dream Kreams locations opening across the state. “I’ll probably be in Greensboro next,” said Bell when discussing the future of the business with The Chronicle. She also discussed plans to purchase a truck that she can take into neighborhoods and pass out free ice cream.
“My plan is Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh and then after that we’re going out of state,” she continued. “Five years is a long time, but then again it’s not, because I’ve done all this in five years and it doesn’t seem like it. I was just selling ice cream out of the portable freezer in the back seat and now I’m here – that’s crazy.”
Priest has set even loftier goals for Dream Kreams. “I see her elevating to a national stage,” he said.
“All she needs is support. That’s all we all need … we just need a little support. We need somebody to believe in us.”
To help with the growth of the business, Bell has started a Kickstarter fundraiser. To find out more, visit Kickstarter and type ‘Dream Kreams’ into the search bar. And be sure to visit the Dream Kreams’ Facebook and Instagram pages.
