Punk rock ice cream arcade purveyor Full Tilt is coming to Capitol Hill. A new shop dedicated to Full Tilt’s nearly legendary, long in the offing ice cream bars is planned to open mid-August in the 15th Ave E space where Capitol Hill Family Arcade has been entertaining Capitol Hill families ever since… a week or so ago.
“I have prepped my best games for this location,” Bobby Conover from 20XX Amusements is quoted as saying in the announcement sent to CHS. Full Tilt says the new space will have a larger arcade section than any of the other Full Tilt shops. The new store will feature about 20 arcade and pinball machines, according to the announcement.
“I wanted to use this location to focus more on our ice cream bars and games,” Full Tilt’s Justin Cline said. “To make it a fun spot for families on the Hill.”
While it will be packed with games, the 15th Ave E Full Tilt won’t offer ice cream by the scoop but plans to eventually offer beer by the bottle and can. It won’t, however, offer marijuana — though area entrepreneur and real estate investor Ian Eisenberg told CHS previously he eventually plans to open a I-502 pot shop in the space formerly home to the Capitol Hill Animal Clinic at 15th and Republican.
Cline said Full Tilt doesn’t really “have a dog in the fight” as Eisenberg, owner of 23rd and Union’s Uncle Ike’s, and Samuel Burke and his Tok store lined up for the former cobbler shop across the street tussle it out to become the first I-502 retailer to open on Capitol Hill. Eisenberg also announced he plans to make a space for longtime 15th Ave cobbler Ray Angel in the arcade building.
Uncle Ike’s, by the way, is a CHS advertiser.
“We’re pretty pot friendly because we’re an ice cream shop,” Cline said. “I’ve never been to Uncle Ike’s. I don’t know a whole lot about the situation.”
Instead, the focus at Full Tilt is on rolling out its new ice cream bars and popsicles after investments that have allowed the company to ramp up production of the frozen treats. The pops have been available on a limited basis at Central Co-Op, West Seattle Thriftway, and Stockbox grocers. In August, Full Tilt’s new creations will be available all over the West Coast at Haggens markets. The company says its ice cream bars are made from local milk in Linden and the fruit-based bars are made with local fruits and organic cane sugar.
Cline said Full Tilt with shops now in Columbia City, Ballard, the U-District, and the original White Center location had long been considering how to approach Capitol Hill and felt that the focus on the new ice cream bar and popsicle lines gave the opportunity the unique spin it needed to work in the food and drink (and ice cream) heavy neighborhood. 15th Ave E also has its appeal.
“I’m more comfortable in that area than dealing with the bros in Pike/Pine,” Cline said. “We’re more about kids, family. A punk Chuck E. Cheese.”
Full Tilt Capitol Hill plans to open August 15th at 501 15th Ave E. You can learn more at fulltilticecream.com.
UPDATE: There was a day when the only ice cream shop on Capitol Hill was Ben and Jerry’s. That has changed: Molly Moon’s (x2), Menchie’s, Refresh (coming soon), Old School, Bluebird, Cupcake Royale, CrazyCherry, Trove, Gnochi Bar, and even Chuck’s offer ice cream or frozen yogurt. Meanwhile, vegan sweet treats from Sugar Plum including soft serve will also be available on 15th Ave E any day now. UPDATE: Oops! Left Kurt Farm Shop off the list!
