How it all got started

When Karl and Bev Black were married, they longed for a life where they could always be together. They did not want the typical 9-5 job, but instead chose to work together and raise their family at home. They bought 15 acres in the beautiful Skokomish Valley and decided to take advantage of the exceptionally fertile soil by starting  an organic truck garden, and selling their produce to local stores and restaurants. Through hard work and perseverance their business progressed into a wholesale nursery. The Blacks were ecstatic and felt very fortunate to have been provided with the lifestyle that they had always dreamed of.

One fateful day, on a trip to Seattle in the early 1980’s, Karl and Bev stumbled upon a restaurant selling gelato and sorbet. They were astonished at how great the products tasted and particularly were impressed by the Cantaloupe Sorbet. At this time gelato was virtually unheard of in the Northwest and the Blacks, being dessert lovers themselves, wondered if this was a market that they should pursue. After many sleepless nights and much consideration, Karl and Bev decided to take the leap and open shop. With the help of friends and family, and after incessantly badgering the banker, Heavenly Gelato opened in 1984 at the South Sound Center in Lacey. The restaurant served Italian gourmet delights such as pizza, calzones, gnocchi, lasagna, espresso, and of course sorbet and gelato.

The store did well, and after acquiring enough wholesale accounts, Karl and Bev, with the help of their good friend and neighbor Ron Gold, moved the operation to their property, which they felt was fundamental in raising their family in the manner they had always imagined. They changed the name to Olympic Mountain Ice Cream and happily the business prospered.  In the years to follow, the children, Trail, Alana and Joel, became very integrated in the business, helping in whichever way they could.

At Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, great pride is taken in using only the finest ingredients. The ice creams, gelatos, and sorbets contain only locally Northwest grown berries and only Washington grown peaches and plums.  Organically grown herbs are harvested from the rich valley soil on the property for use in many special flavors.

2009 marks 25 years in business and at Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, quality is still an obsession, and passion for presenting the best possible product has not waned.