Scoops scoops up unique ice cream flavors

When Tai Kim was in culinary school in the 1990s in Portland, Ore., he set goals that differed from those of his peers.

While many of his classmates wanted to work in the restaurant industry, Kim, who had a background in visual arts, decided ice cream fulfilled his desire to be creative.

“When I was in culinary school, I became obsessed with ice cream,” said the founder of Los Angeles-based ice cream shop Scoops, which specializes in non-traditional flavors. “I decided ice cream could be a way to educate people about flavors and ingredients.”

Kim founded Scoops in Los Angeles in 2005 and has since opened three other locations, including the first in Orange County, at 605 East Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana.

Among the shops’ unique flavors are Brown Bread, which consists of Grape Nuts, caramel syrup and vanilla ice cream; Goat Cheese Lavender; Horchata; and Strawberry Balsalmic Vinegar. Various non-dairy options are available for vegans and people who are lactose intolerant.

The Orange County location opened this summer and actually is owned and managed by one of Kim’s employees, Peter Ji, as a franchisee.

Kim said he likes to give back to employees who show an interest in becoming their own bosses.

“I feel like my employees deserve their own stores, so I’m kind of paying back to them,” he said. “That’s pretty much my idea. If someone works with me and is good, I’ll support them.”

Ji said customers who traveled to L.A. for the ice cream repeatedly suggested an Orange County location.

He called Orange County ideal for the brand because of its innovative food-based businesses, including After’s Ice Cream — home of the ice cream-stuffed pastry — and various coffee shops.

“Orange County has opened up a lot when it comes to exploring new types of food or concepts of food,” said the 31-year-old Arcadia resident. “We thought 2015 was the right time to open up, and Santa Ana was the right place.”

The ice cream shop plans to partner with Santa Ana’s Contra Coffee, which produces various flavors of nitrogen-infused coffees and teas, sometime this fall. The nitrogen creates a creamy texture without the dairy.

Contra Coffee, which has no set location but gains public exposure through events like the 626 Night Market in Arcadia, will open a pop-up shop in Scoops, and the two businesses will combine their products for ice cream floats.

“I feel that people are more interested in trying new stuff now than they were before,” Ji said. “And with ice cream, people aren’t just eating the typical vanillas and chocolates anymore. These unique flavors are becoming very popular. The reception from Orange County has been really good so far. We’ve been welcomed with open arms.”