CRMD co-owner, Kristina Duong, proudly shows off the shop’s signature “puffle.” Credit: Beka Cagle | Lantern Reporter
Bold colors and a bright neon sign reading, “lick it real good” are drawing eyes and Instagram accounts to a new late-night ice cream shop south of campus.
Husband-and-wife founders Benjamin Stoyka and Kristina Duong opened CRMD — pronounced “creamed” — in July with the desire to bring Los Angeles and Asian culinary influences to Columbus.
The shop’s unconventional hours play a key role in attracting a younger demographic.
“Nothing is open here past midnight, and I feel like a lot of college kids out here want to go get something late at night,” Duong said. “We’re between campus and downtown, and I think our location is perfect for people looking for that super late [eatery].”
The couple is seeking to introduce an international flair to dessert. Duong said they have traveled to several places, including countries such as South Korea, Vietnam and China.
“We wanted to bring our adventures and experiences back home,” Duong said.
CRMD offers an assortment of 16 vibrantly colored ice cream and sorbet flavors, including black vanilla, matcha and Vietnamese coffee.
“A lot of people are thrown off by the colors,” Stoyka said.
Even traditional flavors such as cookies and cream and vanilla cookie dough are dyed bright colors such as blue, purple and orange to make the most Instagram-worthy cones, he said.
“We just saw that there wasn’t ice cream like this here, and we wanted to put a twist on the way most ice cream is served,” Stoyka said.
Each element of the shop was carefully planned to cater to Columbus’ young audience, from the late-night hours to the striking ice cream colors and sleek interior.
Every wall in the shop is designed so customers can get a great photo from any angle, Duong said.
“With us being near Ohio State University and right by downtown with a lot of young adults and young professionals, I think they needed a place where they feel more open and more themselves,” Duong said.
Customers can choose between one ice cream scoop for $4.50, two for $6 or three for $7, all of which include one topping and can be scooped into a bowl, waffle cone or “puffle.”
Puffle, Duong explained, is a bubble egg waffle, a traditional street food served in Hong Kong.
“Over there, they eat it like french fries,” Duong said.
Duong created her own recipe, which she said has the same consistency as a Belgian waffle.
“We’re just here to push the boundaries a little bit more than people are used to,” Duong said.
CRMD is located at 1190 N. High St. The shop is open from noon to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
