The beloved La La Ice Cream, located at 3146 Hennepin Ave. S., has officially rebranded as Sugar & Salt Uptown MPLS. Beneath the new sign, a reassuring message reads, “The Home of La La Ice Cream,” ensuring customers that the popular ice cream brand remains.
“Don’t freak out! La La Ice Cream hasn’t gone away,” said owner Jennifer Lisburg. The rebranding to Sugar & Salt highlights the expansion of the shop’s in-house food options, a shift Lisburg had contemplated for some time.
The idea for a rebrand solidified when a longtime customer surprised Lisburg by expressing ignorance about the food offerings. “A regular customer for seven years said, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize you had food here,’” Lisburg recalled.
La La Ice Cream’s journey began in 1993 when Lisburg, after a break from work following the birth of her third child, decided to start an ice cream shop. Having worked in food service all her life and growing up in a household where ice cream was one of the few allowed treats, the venture felt like a natural fit. However, after a year and some early business missteps, she closed the shop.
In 2001, Lisburg moved to northwest Minnesota and bought a café in 2008, aiming to revive her ice cream business. By 2015, she had returned to Minneapolis, reopening La La Ice Cream at its current location in 2016. Despite facing challenges such as road construction in 2018 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Lisburg persevered.
The introduction of food to La La’s menu at the end of 2019 marked the beginning of the transformation. Lisburg had been considering a rebrand ever since. “I felt like I was being chicken,” she admitted, referring to her hesitation to make the change.
Now, as Sugar & Salt Uptown MPLS, the establishment offers an expanded menu while retaining its cherished ice cream offerings. This rebrand not only acknowledges the evolving needs of its customer base but also signifies Lisburg’s commitment to providing a diverse and satisfying culinary experience.
