Big Feeling’s New Ice Cream Shop: Making Winter Sweeter, One Scoop at a Time
We’ve got some feelings—good ones—about the opening of the new Big Feeling Ice Cream storefront!
The number one comment Alex Maddalena received after opening the first storefront for his ice cream company Big Feeling: Why open in the dead of winter? Yet, like the true New Englanders they are, Rhode Islanders flocked to the Westminster Street spot on the West Side of Providence to try the ice cream, proving that nothing, not even below-freezing temps, can stop them from enjoying a sweet treat.
“There’s an element of the ice cream business that is absurd and goofy. I leaned into the absurdity of it,” said Alex of his winter opening.
Since 2018, Big Feeling has built a large community of fans and followers on social media and beyond. They started with their first pint drop at Bolt Coffee, a hip coffee shop in Downtown Providence. Soon after, Alex began releasing limited-edition pints available online and in local Providence stores, which quickly sold out. The flavors? Think Ricotta ice cream with caramelized pear and cardamom or roasted Concord grape sorbet.
The launch of the Big Feeling store was a community effort as well. Alex worked with Elizabeth Goodspeed, a local designer and educator at RISD, to create their new logo, which is a nod to both retro and modern design. Alex’s wife, Olive Wicherski, found the blown-glass light fixtures, made in Italy and reminiscent of candy gumdrops, now hanging over the tables in the store. Nikhil Naiker of Nimki PVD, James Beard Award nominee for emerging chef, helped determine the perfect quantity of salt for the ice cream base to intensify the flavors and balance out the sweetness.
Big Feeling seeks out the freshest local fruits and veggies when available, sourcing global sustainable ingredients when not. Alex developed a love for fresh produce after working on a farm in his childhood. After moving to Providence, he gradually learned about the bounty of Rhode Island farms, from kiwis growing in Johnston to passion fruit growing in East Providence. “This is a tiny state, but there’s a lot [of local food sources] to explore,” Alex said.
Some flavors are regulars at the store, such as the ethically sourced vanilla and the vegan mango sticky rice. Others are limited edition, such as strawberries and cream, which left the rotation along with the last batch of local strawberries (and will surely be back this spring!). The goal of these flavors? To create a sense of nostalgia evoking pleasant childhood memories while still being exciting and innovative.
So, venture out into the winter air and try Big Feeling ice cream for yourself. You won’t regret it.
Big Feeling
769 Westminster St.
Providence, RI
