An Uncommon Idea

For no interesting reason, Blair and I delayed our honeymoon one year before hopping on a plane to Costa Rica in February 2025. Like most tourists, we napped on the beach and hiked through the jungle. Unlike most tourists, we were figuring out what was next professionally; Blair was ready for something new, and I was considering a break from video meetings and endless hotel rooms.

One evening we went out to dinner, ate everything, and complained about how full we were. Then we ordered dessert. As our sweet plates arrived, Blair's eyes lit up. I can't remember what cake we ordered, but there was homemade ice cream on top. That's all he talked about until I finally asked "Why don't you do this? Something with ice cream?" Blair paused and then started to talk it through. From that moment on, we couldn't stop daydreaming about ice cream.

We aligned early on a name and vision — Uncommon Ice Cream was locked in quickly. Our flavors would be surprising, but not shocking. We wanted herbs and spices and childhood memories. We did not want Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. And we envisioned a brand anchored in Boston, with a New England feel. After many combined years in the alcohol and food industries, we knew what made a great shop stand out: quality, creativity, and community. The idea developed so quickly that we ordered a home ice cream maker before flying home.

Once we were home, the experiments started. This is when Basil with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries first debuted, along with Cinnamon Cornbread and Jam, and Roasted Banana. With a finite amount of stomach space between the two of us, we invited friends over to taste and packed up samples for every event we attended. The support was enthusiastic — we were on the right track.

New to the ice cream industry, we also wanted to self-educate as quickly as possible. So we began a series of ice cream tours, spending weekends dragging our puppy, Dolly Parton, to shops around Boston. Honeycomb, Gracie's, and New City Creamery are still some of our favourite spots.

It was on one of these tours that we walked past 537 Columbus Ave in Boston's South End and saw the "for lease" banner above the entrance. With my characteristic impatience, I spent the next three days researching, speaking to real estate agents, and mapping a floorplan. By the time we had the lease in our hands in late April, we had incorporated, drafted an initial menu, and snagged an Instagram handle. We were ready enough, so we signed the lease.

Then the work started. We opened our doors on October 1, 2025. We'd love for you to come in.

— Kady