AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: The above video is related to the recent closure of Tesoros Trading Company.
Vegan ice cream shop Sweet Ritual is closing its doors after a decade of serving up scoops for Austin dessert lovers.
In a statement on the shop's website and Facebook page, owner Amelia Foxtrot cited higher food prices, rising rent costs and personal health as reasons for the closure. Foxtrot also said the Airport Boulevard store was experiencing ingredient shortages, with two ingredients coming from Ukraine.
"Thank you SO so much for allowing us to be a part of your date nights, celebrations, and birthdays for the past decade," Foxtrot said in the statement. "The pandemic has been a wild ride and hasn’t been kind or easy for small businesses. We’ve done our best to pivot, but it’s clear it’s time to move on."
Sweet Ritual will sell its final stock, consisting of 60 ice cream buckets and a few hundred pints, as well as merchandise, equipment and furniture at its factory on 8711 Burnet Road. The sale takes place Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and items will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
"You will be greatly missed," Jack O'Grady commented on the shop's Facebook closure announcement. "Thank you for everything over the last decade – your community work, advocacy, and raising the bar for delicious vegan ice cream. Seriously. Vegan ice cream was pretty underwhelming before you came along!"
This past January, COVID-19 forced Sweet Ritual to close for about six weeks. The shop struggled with supply chain problems and low sales in the couple of years prior.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: