Enjoying Scrumptious Old Town Arvada CO

One day last week my family and I decided to visit an ice cream shop in Olde Town Arvada called “Scrumptious”.  Below are my daughter's thoughts on our afternoon . . . 

When I first enter Olde Town Arvada, I am immediately taken to another unspecified time period. The two lane road is lined with large green leafed trees, park benches, parallel parked cars and motorcycles. The flat front two story brick buildings bring to mind the wild west days of America. The classic green lamp posts draped with American flags, and the many short green poles clearly meant for tying up a horse, emphasize it.

The street is full of life on this gorgeous Colorado day.

There are children running through the fountain in the center of the town square.

There are pedestrians and cyclists, cruisers in their loud muscle cars or motorcycles.

Restaurant patios are filled with friends and families sharing some locally brewed beers, wine, Belgium Fries, and all the other niche things Olde Town Arvada has to offer.

The sky is a perfect blue with billowing white clouds. The sun is hot but the breeze is cool and the shade is perfect.

We park next to the train tracks and the historic Arvada Flour Mill Museum. With it’s white washed paneled sides, it looks like it would be at home on a prairie.

As we cross the street to walk down the shaded sidewalk to Scrumptious, we hear the revelers calling to the people passing by, "Come - join us!". When they see me with my two baby boys, they suggest we head straight to the ice cream shop and I assure them we are.

On our side of the street we pass a yarn shop, a winery, a florist, a spices shop, a fishing supply shop and a stringed instrument shop.

Each one, with their store fronts and signs calling me back to a much older, slower paced time in American life, encouraging me to slow down my walk a little too.

Across the street country music pours out of the motorcycle bar next to the tattoo shop and spills over the street and its pedestrians.

When we arrive at Scrumptious we are greeted by their now famous pig. It’s a life size metal pig that has been most recently painted sky blue and bears the Scrumptious catch phrase, “It’s All Good”, across its belly.

The hours on the door are listed as “Monday-Wednesday, 11-9ish, Thursday-Sunday 11-10ish” reflecting on the laid back nature of the owners, the store and really, the entire small town.

When I enter the store I am immediately overcome with a sense of anticipation.

Next to the door is a classic lollipop-shaped gum ball machine. To my left is a small area by a large window that has five small tables. They and their matching chairs are simple wood with thin black wire backs that bring to mind a classic Parisian patio cafe.

Allowing my gaze to pass to the ice cream counter I scan the old street sign glowing red and the large mounted buffalo head. This buffalo head did not pass my son’s notice however, and he refused to go anywhere near it even though the ice cream was just below it.

Scrumptious ice cream is unique and made right in the store. It has names like “Ants on an Apple Log”, “PBCD”, and “Sneaky Timmy”.

I tasted several but two stuck with me.

As the owner handed me the spoon to sample Sneaky Timmy he said, “You’ll see why it’s sneaky”.

At first, it tasted just like peanut butter ice cream. But as the last of the ice cream slid down my throat a fire started to slowly grow on the back of my tongue until I was almost certain a magic trick has been played on you.

FYI -  “Sneaky Timmy” is peanut butter with cayenne pepper.

The other flavor most memorable to me was the “Scrumptious Delight”.

It was a sweet cream with a chocolate port wine swirl. The wine was made at the winery we had walked past earlier. And so of course, we later went back and bought ourselves a bottle.

As I enjoyed my “Scrumptious Delight”, I walked around the shop.

“Rock Lobster” spilled from the speakers above, while the old wood panel floors creaked beneath my feet.

The entire right side of the store is filled with candy. Most of the candy were varieties I haven’t seen since I was a kid, like Lemon Drops, Red Hots and Nostalgia gum.

The eclectic jumble of old fashioned candies and the wall of serve yourself containers filled with many kinds of licorice, gummy rings, jelly belly’s and all sorts of other goodies can be a bit overwhelming. But all you have to do is slow down, take your time, and soak it all in.

The little alcove in the back with the small couch and the slightly dark twisted Alice in Wonderland and Humpty Dumpty local art, invite me to make it my own little pocket of peace and escape from the hectic world.

But I think that’s why people go to Olde Town Arvada. We go just to spend time chatting, strolling, taking in the scenery and trying something new (without paying for parking!).

In our frenzied, claw your way to the top, never stop, 100 mph society, it is really fantastic to spend a day just walking, breathing and being grateful for every new thing that comes our way.

Scrumptious reflects the entire attitude of Olde Town Arvada.  It invites you with open arms to come, take a break and smile a little bit more.