Redondo Beach Craigers serves ‘darn good’ treats
Craigers owners Brenda Bloom and Craig Miller cutting the ribbon to their newly-opened ice cream and fudge shop in Redondo Beach on Sunday, July 16. Photo
Craig Miller and Brenda Bloom are taking their passion and pride for high-quality treats from the farmer’s market to brick and mortar, selling their homemade fudge and frozen desserts from their newly-opened Redondo Beach storefront.
Miller and Bloom opened their fudge, ice cream, and sorbet shop, Craigers, on May 22, and recently hosted their Grand Opening. They started as a small vendor at local farmer’s markets.
Though they only met eight years ago, each started careers at a young age working in ice cream shops and soda fountains on the East Coast. Miller has been in the food industry for most of his life, starting a restaurant when he was only 18. He eventually moved to California in the ‘90s, while Bloom owned a bagel shop and decorated cakes.
After Miller’s last venture fell through, he decided to pursue his passion for ice cream. Bloom and Miller attended an ice cream university seven years ago, and took chocolatier classes in California and Pennsylvania.
“We were happy with the good instruction from the ice cream courses and we felt very comfortable,” Miller said. “We just had to sit through the waiting game after that.”
Bloom and Miller have been selling their products at farmer’s markets for two years. They are now selling at three locations, including Wilson Park in Torrance, Palos Verdes Market, and Veterans Park in Redondo Beach. Before moving into their current space, they rented space at another local bakery during closing hours to produce their products.
“It is a unique industry and it is not that difficult, but it is like learning a new language,” Miller said. “There is a lot of research and knowledge that goes into it, especially researching the proper equipment for frozen desserts.”
Craigers’ ice creams are made with all organic dairy and high quality flavors. They try to use as much fresh fruit from the farmer’s market possible in their homemade sorbets. Their waffle cones are freshly made too, along with their fudge.
They started making fudge from Bloom’s mother’s recipe, though it was hard to get it right at first. The recipe required a smaller Hershey’s chocolate bar than the modern standard, known as a “nickel Hershey’s bar,” so named because it was sold for 5 cents. The two researched to see when Hershey’s bars started, and what their size was, to figure out the correct weight for a nickel bar.
Bloom and Miller work as a team, Bloom focusing on the organizational aspects of the job and Miller specializing in equipment operation and determining what goes on the menu.
“We have been together for years and I don’t need to tell her anything and she doesn’t need to tell me anything,” Miller said. “We have a great connection where we just click. I always know what she’s thinking and she always knows what I am thinking. It is really crazy.”
The store’s Grand Opening took place on Sunday, July 16, featuring a ribbon cutting and free sample ice cream sundaes. The small shop was packed, wall-to-wall, with customers buying ice cream and congratulating Miller and Bloom.
The storefront is just the beginning. They already have an online store that ships fudge across the country. Miller also recently purchased equipment for a soda jerk that he is planning on implementing into the store in the future.
“The beauty of this business is that you know when people leave, they are leaving happy,” Miller said. “Even if they are not happy, we want them to feel like this is where they belong and they are going to find something they like because it is darn good.”
Craigers is at 625 B N. Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach.