Babe’s Ice Cream in Bay View Reopening
New owner Michael Ludwig praises old owners, will keep ice cream shop as is.
Michael Ludwig (left), the new owner of Babe’s, poses with outgoing operator Christine Cruz. Photo by Sophie Bolich.
Before Babe’s Ice Cream was a Bay View favorite, it was a defunct dry cleaning business. Michael Ludwig led its redevelopment 20 years ago and now is returning as an owner to steer the ice cream parlor into its next chapter.
“I wanted something completely different,” said Ludwig, a businessman and U.S. Navy veteran who retired from the reserves last year. “I had no idea what I wanted to do — just different.”
When Ludwig’s longtime friends, Christine and Darwing Cruz, offered to sell him the business at 2264 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., his choice was clear.
“I know everything about the space, right?” Ludwig said. “It’s such a great, family-run business with huge community support — and the Cruzes are amazing people. So I was like, ‘I could just carry on the legacy for them.'”
Christine said the business is in good hands. “We want everyone to know that we’re good, we trust Michael and think he’s going to do great,” she said, noting that customers can still expect to see her regularly at the shop. “We just want to serve the community and put a smile on peoples’ faces.”
Ludwig was born and raised in Milwaukee, but traveled extensively during his military service, gaining experience in training and leadership development along the way. He also honed his entrepreneurial skills through a lifetime in construction work — beginning at age 10 — and has run a family business specializing in construction, architecture and design since 2004.
Until this point, Ludwig’s career has pushed for optimization, development and constant evolution. At Babe’s, he’ll take a different approach. “Keep running it just the way it is,” he said.
When the shop reopens Thursday, guests can expect the same cow-print coolers filled with Madison-made Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, ready to be scooped into chocolate-dipped cones and sprinkled with toppings ranging from crushed cookies to pourable peanut butter.
Babe’s also offers floats, shakes and malts, including an extra-thick option for 50 cents more, along with ice cream cakes, pies, beautifully layered tortes and palm-sized ice cream sandwiches. Dairy-free and vegan visitors can indulge too, with a rotating selection of ice cream flavors, plus shakes, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cakes, cookies and brownies.
“I’m fortunate enough to be the one that they chose to sell it to, because they cared about the people in the community,” Ludwig said of the Cruzes, who plan to retire after the transition is complete. “They wanted the right person in here to carry out the tradition and not just change it.”
The couple will leave a powerful legacy. Last fall, Ludwig spent time on site, getting to know the shop and its team of employees — all of whom will continue under his leadership. He said seeing customers “coming in and just how excited they were to talk to Christine and have some ice cream” reaffirmed his decision to take over.
“Everybody who comes in here is happy because they’re getting ice cream,” Ludwig said. “It’s a great place to just be joyful.”
Ludwig’s role will extend beyond high-level operations. He plans to learn “everything about the whole shop,” from torte assembly to piping perfect decorative stripes on ice cream cakes.
“When you’re out of your element, that’s when you really excel,” Darwin told Ludwig in the days before the reopening. Ludwig said that stuck with him. “Every time I talk about the shop and the ice cream — everything — I just get super excited. So I’m like, ‘Okay, I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing.'”
Like his construction business, Babe’s will be a family venture. Ludwig’s sister and brother-in-law are partners, bringing 40 years of customer service experience and 40 years in professional baking, respectively, while one of his sons is handling social media. Other family members and friends have offered to help run the Babe’s ice cream truck, which appears at Chill on the Hill and other recurring community events throughout the summer.
Babe’s will officially reopen Feb. 5 under Ludwig, with Christine expected to remain on board initially to ensure a seamless transition. The shop’s winter hours are noon to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Extended hours are expected to kick in as the weather warms.
Babe’s in 2005
Babe’s in 2026
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