“Ice Cream solves everything,” is written on the LED sign that brightly lights up the wall in the new ice cream store, The Scoop. Setting the tone for the store, this sign draws in ice cream lovers and those who want a sweet treat into a clean white oasis with pink accents. Founded by brothers and WCHS alumni, Timothy and Mitch Ryoo, The Scoop is one of the newest additions to Cabin John Village during the shopping center’s revamping. 

The Scoop opened in late August after the closing of the long-time owner, Baskin Robbins. After hearing a new ice cream store was taking over for a family classic, many were intrigued. What many people were then excited to find out was the owners were native to Potomac. 

“It has always been a dream of ours to open an ice cream shop. People are always on the search for happiness. For some, it’s money. For others, it’s fulfillment from their career path or from meaningful relationships. For us, it’s as simple as a scoop of ice cream,” Timothy Ryoo said. “Our main drive to open The Scoop was our love for ice cream and spreading that love with others.”

Family businesses are not something new for the Ryoo brothers. The inspiration started with their parents, who started their own family business and expanded to multiple locations. Their brotherly love for ice cream brought the vision together and soon the idea for The Scoop was born. 

“We like working with each other because we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and can always be honest and transparent with one another while pursuing our passion,” Ryoo said when talking about working with his brother. 

Replacing an ice cream shop that has been in Cabin John for as long as many people can remember is no easy feat. Baskin Robbins was the place to go after elementary school choral concerts, soccer games and any time one wanted dependable ice cream. Now with the opportunity, the Ryoos are looking to bring a new gourmet and high-quality ice cream to the community of Potomac. 

“We try our best to only use natural ingredients, especially with our fruit and nut flavored ice creams. We don’t use any artificial coloring and we support local farms by using their produce. We only make small batches of our ice cream to ensure the quality never wavers,” Ryoo said. “My brother and I have come to an agreement to only sell ice cream that we love, if we ever make a flavor that is not to our standards we rather discard the batch than release it to the public.” 

Not only are the Ryoos serving the WCHS community at their location, but they also help the community by hiring student employees. 

“Working at The Scoop is always fun and entertaining. Getting to work with peers and customers in a vibrant environment makes work very enjoyable,” Julia Irwin, WCHS junior and employee, said. “Working at a place that services the community is a great way to see people I know and feel more attached to the MoCo community.”

Whether it is from their student employees or customers in the community, the hard work that the Ryoos are putting into their business is not going unnoticed. 

“The opportunity to be your own boss and have creative freedom is motivating to me,” Irwin said. “Tim and Mitch work so hard and it is awesome to see people appreciate it.”The Scoop currently offers ice cream and milkshakes with both seasonal and classical flavors on the menu. They plan to expand their menu to include sundaes, root beer floats, custom ice cream cakes, affogato and more. 

“A family business is tricky and not for everybody. But what we have learned is that at the core of every successful business, there is teamwork and trust. Those two values were ingrained in us from a very young age and we witnessed how a business can survive and thrive through the toughest times with the power of family,” Timothy Ryoo said.