Ice cream maker Crank & Boom to set up shop at Pepper Distillery

Crank & Boom is going bricks & mortar.

The local ice cream business's owner, Toa Green, plans to open a dessert café and lounge on the James Pepper Distillery property on Manchester Road.

The new concept is a perfect fit for the Distillery District, where Middle Fork Kitchen Bar and Ethereal Brewing Co. will soon join The Break Room bar and Barrel House Distillery, Green said.

"We're really excited," Green said Thursday. Her café is planned to be between Middle Fork and Barrel House, in its own two-story building.

Green started making ice cream when she was looking for a dessert option for her restaurant, Thai Orchid (now Thai & Mighty Noodle Bowls) and came up with coconut ice cream similar to what street vendors sell in Thailand.

"It was so popular that I started making other flavors, and started making it with other ingredients that I found at the farmers market."

After about six months, she launched the Crank & Boom brand.

"Our first event was Thursday Night Live in May 2013," she said. "We've now done over 150 (events) since last year, and been able to get out in the community and build the brand."

And her lineup? Crank & Boom has made 40 to 50 flavors — including buttermilk blackberry and honey bourbon — with 12 in regular rotation, and it sells seven flavors wholesale at Good Foods Market, Liquor Barn and other stores.

"We get asked every day where our shop is, and it's great to finally direct them to this space that's every bit as original and handcrafted as our ice cream," Green said.

The concept will have a traditional ice cream shop, with scoops, cones and gourmet sundaes. But it also will feature an espresso bar and chocolate bar, plus beer, wine and spirits, providing a broad canvas to create all sorts of new dessert creations, such as West Sixth Cocoa Porter floats and drinking truffles, according to a news release.

Other treats and pastries will be offered from local bakers to highlight Lexington's best desserts.

"It will have kind of a coffeehouse feel by day, dessert lounge by night," Green said. "It will be unique to Lexington."

This story was originally published October 9, 2014 at 12:12 PM with the headline "Ice cream maker Crank & Boom to set up shop at Pepper Distillery."