I had some free time during these hot SXSW days and got out with friends to Lick ice cream in Austin. I love businesses like this. They understand they are in the packaging business and made the experience of ice cream something simple and good. The menu is modular and simple with changing fresh flavors of the day. It made it feel personal and customized based on the time I visited.
The ice cream is fresh and smooth. We got to try multiple flavors that mixed exotic flavors like cilantro, chocolate, avacado, various sweets and spices. I was taken back to a time when I was a kid and had this kind of ice cream growing up in Germany. Delicious, smooth and crisp flavor combinations danced in my mouth.
I liked the simple break during the work day and the customer experience. The attendants were patient and seemed excited about their job. I even liked the checkout virtual process which went along with a broader entrepreneurial vision in the store I could see. Everything was designed with simplicity and clean lines. The checkout was with Square and there was no unnecessary clutter around the store front experience.
It takes a lot of thought to design with simplicity. It means saying, “No,” to a lot of things that can easily make its way to fill space. But, we are already inundated with clutter and chaos. There’s something highly appealing about businesses that focus and provide a focal point around the high quality of their substantive product or service.
If you get a chance to stop by Lick, experience the short hiatus from life yourself. Take in the business flow. It’s a great example of reinventing an otherwise commoditized product into something a bit more special.
