Main Street Business

It was a rainy, chilly Sunday night when I sat down in a striped booth with Bill Colgan at his Grasslands Café in Lakeville next to the post office. Older couples, groups of students, mothers with kids, tradesmen, and visitors to the Salisbury Fall Festival were happily devouring ice cream sundaes, sipping hot chocolate, and licking soft-serve swirls in a festive, friendly ice cream parlor. Everyone was having a good time. Bill admitted that with winter coming, a coat rack would be a good idea and wrote it down on his to-do list. 

What business are you in?

We’re in the community business. We want to provide a happy space for people to relax, meet neighbors, and make friends … and while they’re here have a dessert or a latte. Everybody comes here. (Note that Main Street’s publisher says the latte is one of the best around and one of the least expensive.)

Why the name Grassland?

Grassland was the name of the historic Scoville Farm on Hammertown Road. Buying it and renovating the barns was my last project. In deciding on a name, I wanted to emphasize the local connection and the link to dairy and ice cream.

Is this your first time running a retail business?

Yes, it was born out of naivete and the fact that I really, really like ice cream. I have many vivid memories of going to our neighborhood ice cream parlor at the end of the block in Forest Hills where I grew up. It’s still there! I enjoyed everything about it and figured, “how hard could it be?” I’m an entrepreneur; I founded two successful software companies – the first one in 1985. But I had never really cooked anything and did not understand how much effort this would be. It requires hard work and stubbornness seven days a week. 

What is your goal for Grasslands?

My goal is to build a sustainable business that will be here for 20 years. To be a mainstay in Lakeville run by young people. Emily Thompson, our oldest employee at age 22, is our manager and worked beside me before we opened in April 2025. We needed someone older to run things; Emily recruits and trains our young staff. The “kids” are great. They listen, they’re great with customers, and they propel our active social media presence. My hope is that we provide the social and practical skills that will let them stay in our area and have their own businesses someday. So far, we are doing just fine.

How large is your staff?

In the summer we hire about 15 to 18 part-time employees and teens who like the idea of working here. They are primarily local public and private school kids home for the summer. We have learned the truth that they lie about being available to work all summer and take off for Spain and Italy for four weeks. We lose about a third of them but encourage them to see the world. They still come back on vacations and holidays to work. In the winter we have about eight or nine part time staff, and three full timers all year.

Training is key. On the first day we want a new employee to feel comfortable. We teach them about the items on the menu. Next comes practice scooping ice cream and understanding serving sizes and the point-of-sale system. Most important is developing people skills, which requires coaching them on how to greet customers and respond to questions.

What were the biggest obstacles to starting this business?

It’s a process. I do not regard the various regulators, like the Torrington Health Department or the fire department as adversaries. They are helpful in making sure we are doing things right, not just obstacles to get through. Selecting purveyors for a new, untested business required research. We needed an ice cream supplier that could flexibly supply us with a quality product at a reasonable price and, very important, a broad range of flavors. We want families to be able to spend less than $20 and become repeat customers.

Who designed the store? Did your early experience as a stagehand help?

I grew up in a family that built Broadway sets. During high school and college, I worked backstage. A show creates an imaginary world to enter, and I have tried to achieve that here through design. A friend who is a well-known interior designer helped pick the color palette. The curvy booths are made from Wacky Wood and built by Mike Sinclair, our carpenter.

The hillside in back of the parking lot just evolved by itself. Children love playing back there.

What flavors are customer 

favorites?

Older people, like us, remember malteds, ice cream sodas, and egg creams – our least expensive item. Sophisticated customers convinced us to offer espresso and made sure we got it right. We have old-fashioned flavors like pistachio, butter pecan, and vanilla, my favorite. Emily likes peanut butter. Mint chocolate chip seems to be the overall favorite. Little kids pick ice cream for bright colors and toppings.

What happens in the winter?

This will only be our second winter, and we’re learning as we go. We introduce desserts that are warm and cozy, like hot fudge brownie sundaes. It’s the season to experiment. Our super-rich hot chocolate made from Ecuadorian cocoa is always on the menu. Every month we introduce new specials, and customers come in year-round to see what’s new. Special events, especially birthday parties with interactive themes, are frequent in the winter. This winter instead of being open seven days a week we may close one day – we haven’t decided yet.

How much have your costs risen since you opened?

Surprisingly, prices were very stable until about a month ago when everything went up 20%.

What happens when the 

electricity goes off?

On the Fourth of July weekend we lost power and all of our inventory. Insurance covered the cost of the ice cream but not the cakes. Cleaning up the machines and getting rid of ruined ice cream was a huge task. The ice cream was refrozen and then carted out.

What are your busiest days and times?

Our peak season is from early April until the end of September. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays are always our busiest days plus holidays and parent weekends. The busiest times are after school and 7pm until our closing at 9pm. People have dinner at home and come here after or eat at The Boathouse and Fern and walk over for dessert. We can tell by their parking lots if it will be a busy night. 

What community efforts do you support?

We make an effort to purchase locally. We buy cases of blueberries and strawberries from LaBonne’s. And we try to not compete with established businesses, which is why we don’t serve breakfast or lunch. If Project Sage, the Salisbury School, or the Democratic Party asks for our help, we are always there. •

To sample Grasslands’ offerings for yourself, visit them in person at 343 Main Street in Lakeville, CT. To get them on the phone use (860) 596-4067. Or you can virtually visit them at grasslanddessertcafe.com or follow them on Instagram @ grasslanddessertcafe. 

Editor’s note: I love stopping at Grasslands in the mornings to grab my morning latte along with one of their fresh-baked muffins or scones, all of which are delicious. They also have fantastic smoothies. I felt it important to include these offerings as they weren’t mentioned in the article but are some of my personal favorites at Grasslands.