As you walk down the bustling streets of the LoHi district in Denver, Colorado, it’s impossible to miss the 28-foot-tall milk can that always draws a crowd of tourists and locals alike. Besides being a spectacle to look at, Little Man Ice Cream also churns out some of the best ice cream that Denver has to offer. The creator of this whimsical ice cream shop is Paul Tamburello, owner of Generator Real Estate. Tamburello had developed two buildings within the same area of Denver that currently house the restaurants Linger and Post Chicken. Some space remained between the two constructions, but Tamburello believed that developing another building “took away from the historic character of the site.” Instead, he shifted his focus to developing something that would have a positive communal impact. What better way to bring together a community than ice cream. Ice cream held much sentimental value for Tamburello. When he was a child, his family often made ice cream at home, and he and his friends would compete “to make ice cream and [ice cream] flavors.” So, when brainstorming ideas for the space, an ice cream shop simply made sense.
Tamburello’s ice cream-related endeavors have ventured beyond just Little Man. Old Town Churn Ice Cream, Sweet Cooie’s Ice Cream, The Constellation Ice Cream, and Dang Soft Serve Ice Cream all operate under The Little Man Ice Cream family as well.
Each store that Tamburello develops has a similar quality: a playful, imaginative “WOW” factor. Whether it be the 78-foot-long airplane wing at Constellation, a 30-foot-tall ice cream churn at Old Town Churn, or the Willy Wonka style décor at Sweet Cooie’s, Tamburello focuses on creating stores that are “unique, special, and that have a unique… whimsy to them”. The reason for this is Tamburello’s belief that “a sense of wonder is intrinsic to who we are as human beings” and admiring the massive milk can or airplane wing “invite(s) people to pause and tap back into that sense of wonder.”
The inspiration behind his eye-catching structures is the book California Crazy, chronicling the craziest roadside structures that California has on display. After seeing a dairy store within a milk bottle in the book, Tamburello was immediately hooked on the milk can concept for his first Little Man Ice Cream location.
More than just an exciting line of ice cream stores, Tamburello and his Little Man Ice Cream company also place much value in giving back to the community. Through Little Man’s Scoop for Scoop Program – for every scoop of ice cream purchased, a scoop of rice, beans or other essentials are donated to communities in need around the globe – simply by purchasing ice cream, customers can positively benefit communities around the world.
Where the Scoop for Scoop money gets donated is not predetermined either. Each month, the Little Man locations host community meetings, open for anyone from management to customers, where a collective decision on where the money should be donated is made. Previous donations from this program have served schools across the world such as in Uganda and Guatemala, as well as local Denver communities. The recipients of the donations also heavily depend on the Little Man location as each store under the Little Man family has a different philanthropic focus. For example, Constellation Ice Cream concentrates on science and technology, while Sweet Cooie’s focuses heavily on woman empowerment.
Tamburello believes that giving back is a requirement of being in business. In our interview, Tamburello mentioned a quote that his mother always used, “Volunteerism is the price you pay for being human.” This mindset has played a crucial role in Tamburello’s life and is very well expressed by the many philanthropic efforts that the Little Man Company pursues. He also believes that the community projects Little Man is involved in give the people who work there, a greater sense of purpose “to a cause that is greater than themselves.”
The Little Man Ice Cream family has taken the Colorado area by storm. Not only is Little Man popular for their delicious ice cream and abundance of flavors, but also for their jaw-dropping and playful store designs that bring out the inner child in any adult.
Thank you to Paul Tamburello for taking the time to speak with me! P.S. Tamburello’s favorite ice cream flavor at Little Man is Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cup.
If you enjoyed this article, check out my previous interview with Chef Terence Rogers, chef and owner of Sullivan Scrap Kitchen and TBD Catering in Denver, Colorado.