Izzy’s Ice Cream will permanently close its St. Paul location after serving community members for 20 years, as a result of economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company has lost 90% of its revenue since mid-March due to closures following Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order and sales from sporting events, such as Twins and Wild games, whose seasons were disrupted by the new coronavirus, according to co-owner Jeff Sommers.

“I have sold one order of ice cream to a restaurant since the closure,” Sommers said. “It’s turned everything we do around.”

Sommers and Lara Hammel, his wife and co-owner, developed Izzy’s original location on Marshall Avenue from humble roots: mortgages on their home, an ice cream making machine and a book of ice cream recipes.

“Izzy’s went on to be a lot more successful than we anticipated,” Sommers said. “We did our job, if you will, of making great ice cream and our mission was to also create or make great moments for individuals.”

Sommers said the St. Paul location was “a magical place” because of the customers they served; however, with the lease seeking renewal and uncertainties of when revenue may increase, Sommers and Hammel decided to close the shop.

“We’ve had amazing people from St. Thomas work for us, and still do,” Sommers said. “St. Thomas and the community around there has been hugely supportive of us.”

St. Thomas sophomore and Izzy’s Ice Cream scooper Blakke Springob described the St. Paul location closure as “very sad” and felt especially bad for Sommers and Hammel.

“They’ve put their whole life into this,” Springob said. “It’s basically their baby that they grew over the years.”

Springob applied to work at the St. Paul Izzy’s Ice Cream because it was close to campus, and she “really liked the atmosphere” at the shop.

“I became very comfortable working at Izzy’s, even though I just started this year,” Springob said. “It kind of became second nature going there.”

According to Springob, the closure is “a loss to the community” and feels sorry for the shop’s regulars.

“We have a lot of regulars; as soon as they would step in, they didn’t even need to try any flavors,” Springob said. “They already knew the combinations, and they were friends with the staff.”

Sommers and Hammel have maintained some revenue with accounts from grocery stores and the shop’s partnership with Pizza Lucé.

The owners have been making plans for curbside pickup and delivery at their Minneapolis location.

“In about three weeks or more we will have a pickup window,” Sommers said. “We’re trying to do a lot of things with that.”

For Sommers, he has viewed the damages caused by the pandemic “more philosophically.”

“I think the COVID thing is a question for history, and what is more important is how we can do well upon the people around you.”

Burke Spizale can be reached at spiz8477@stthomas.edu.