Rumors have been confirmed that the Oakland ice cream staple Dave & Andy’s will reopen, and the new owners have close ties to the former owners. Sarah Kasten, a junior studying media and professional communications and economics at the University of Pittsburgh, is teaming up with her parents, Laura and Jason Kasten.
“My parents had their first date there, I grew up going to the store, now I'm a student at Pitt. So it's obviously a staple over here for us,” Kasten said.
Founded in 1983 by Dave Tuttle and Andy Hardie, the shop on Atwood Street, surrounded by the University of Pittsburgh's campus, is a nostalgic touchstone for many graduates. It was known for an extensive list of “over 200” ice cream flavors churned in small batches into hand-rolled waffle cones.
“We had three of the past employees that worked the store and we did training with them for about two weeks to learn how to make all the flavors. And so we'll be using the same recipes for the ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet,” Kasten said. “So, we're excited to have the same flavors that everybody knows and loves.”
Dave and Andy’s Homemade Ice Cream closed in April earlier this year. Kasten says they plan to reopen Sept. 7.
