New Owners For Bay View Ice Cream Shop
Babe's is closed for the season, set to reopen in February under new leadership.
Babe’s Ice Cream, 2264 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Photo taken May 2019 by Jeramey Jannene.
After two decades of serving up frozen treats in Bay View, Babe’s Ice Cream is saying goodbye—but only to its current ownership.
The scoop shop at 2264 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., which began its annual winter hiatus over the weekend, is set to reopen in February under new leadership.
While the incoming operators have not yet been publicly announced, co-owner Christine Cruz said she’s confident they will continue the values and vision that have shaped the business to date.
“This was not an easy choice, but I am at peace knowing [Babe’s] will continue to grow,” she wrote in an online post announcing the transition. “I truly believe the future is bright.”
Launched in 2005, Babe’s celebrated its 20th anniversary last month under Cruz and her husband, Darwing. Over the years, Cruz wrote, it has become “far more than a business—it’s a community, a family, and one of the greatest sources of pride and joy in my life.”
Cruz concluded her post with “heartfelt gratitude” for customers, thanking them for “every visit, every conversation, every hug, every laugh and every bit of support.”
After parting ways with Babe’s, Cruz said she’s looking forward to spending more time with family, traveling and pursuing passion projects.
Babe’s, situated between Toppers Pizza and Vendetta Coffee Bar, brings a pop of color to Bay View’s main drag with its royal blue awning, LED signage and display window doodles.
Inside, Babe’s serves an ever-changing lineup of Madison-made Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, rotating through up to 110 flavors, including Zanzibar Chocolate, Blue Moon and Butter Pecan. The shop is also known for its shakes and ice cream cakes—touted as “Milwaukee’s finest”—but its standout feature is inclusivity, offering no-sugar-added options and treats free of dairy, eggs, tree nuts, gluten, peanuts and soy. All Chocolate Shoppe ice creams are certified kosher.
As outdoor temperatures approach those inside Babe’s freezers, the shop has closed for the season as of Nov. 22 and will remain dark through January. It’s set to reopen Feb. 5, with Cruz remaining on-site during the early days of the transition.
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