Homemade gelato is now being served in the heart of Jackson Ward at Stoplight Gelato Cafe. The owner, Barbara Given, opened up shop in honor of her son on her 81st birthday, on July 17th.
Homemade gelato is now being served in the heart of Jackson Ward at Stoplight Gelato Cafe. The owner, Barbara Given, opened up shop in honor of her son on her 81st birthday, on July 17th.
Serving up 22 flavors of gelato, sorbetto, coffee, pastries, and sandwiches, the shop is a tasty treat for the neighborhood, with a powerful back story.
Given started the project in 2010 with her son, Bryce Given. Both with a dream of opening their own business, they started building their business from scratch in August of 2011. Bryce quit his job as a carpenter to work on the shop full-time.
“He was essentially my general contractor,” said Given. “The building was to be his.”
The two got to work remodeling the building and coming up with business ideas, Bryce used his experience as a carpenter and Barbara found some decor. But halfway through production, Bryce’s cancer came back for the second time after several years.
“The doctor’s didn’t really know how to treat him,” said Given.
Production on the shop came to a halt as Bryce battled two aggressive types of cancer. He went through several experimental treatments.
On Easter morning of 2015, Bryce passed away.
Given was faced with a choice, stay in her comfortable condo in Old Town Alexandria or carry on the project her and her son started.
“The more I thought it was my decision, the more I realized it was not my decision at all. The decision was already made for me,” said Given. “I couldn’t abandon our project. When I made up my mind, I knew it was the right thing to do.”
Given made the jump and decided to finish the project in honor of her son. She moved from her condo to a small apartment right above the gelato shop at 405 Brook Rd. She then continued the unfinished shop with the help of some Richmond locals.
“A lot of the neighbors volunteered help and then I hired several college students who helped with painting and woodworking and all of that,” said Given. “My hobby for years has been woodworking so I knew how to move forward with that. Eventually we got it finished.”
Named for the large working stoplight in the middle of the shop, Stoplight Gelato now holds a warm feeling of grandmothers kitchen, homey and with new treats constantly cooking.
So far Given said business has been great. New flavors are added to their menu constantly, some favorites include fresh strawberry, salty peanut and dulce de leche, but the shop also carries mocha, amaretto, banana, tiramisu, and chocolate hazelnut to name a few.
She uses fresh ingredients for her gelatos and uses products which are free of high-fructose corn syrup.
In addition to their homemade gelato, you can also get blackberry sorbetto, mango sorbetto, along with breakfast and lunch sandwiches.
Given keeps up a good relationship with the surrounding local bakeries, with her biscuits coming from Lucille’s Bakery, cookies from Christie’s Lunchbox and gluten-free pastries from Eddies Natural.
“We’re trying to make use of the bakeries rather than making our own,” said Given. “Support them instead.”
She said she hopes to eventually be using all local products.
Given also hopes to give back to those who give to the community, handing out free gelato to those who help with community projects like the Jackson Ward cleanup.
“The two purposes outlined is one, to honor my son and his dream,” said Given. “And two is to help the community.” .
