ELG Sweet Boutique, ice cream shop founded by teens, opens in Portsmouth (2024)

I was feeling chipper on a recent Sunday morning and didn’t think the day could get any better — until I walked into the ELG Sweet Boutique in downtown Portsmouth.

My eye caught the whimsical, round light shades dangling from the ceiling with pinkish-purplish lights.

The wall on the left had a colorful mural of the ice cream shop founders: Ayla Reddix, 17; Tamia Coleman-Hawkins, 15; Chailea Harvey, 18; Amanda Simpson, 17; Mischa Smith, 15; Kriscilla Robinson, 18. Nearby was a wall to take Instagram pics surrounded by pink, purple and yellow artificial flowers.

I sampled a few ice cream flavors with positive names such as Creative Cookies and Cream, and Brilliant Butter Pecan. Both were yummy. I settled on the EmpowerMint Chocolate Chip ice cream. I enjoyed every bite of the chocolatey chunks with the cool sensation.

The ELG Sweet Boutique opened last month inside The Mustard Seed Place (the former Tidewater Community College Visual Arts & Design Center building) on the corner of High and Court Streets. But it began seven years ago with a Norfolk-based nonprofit, Envision Lead Grow (ELG). It teaches girls about entrepreneurship through free camps. It took a seven-city bus tour in 2017, hitting cities including Memphis, Atlanta and Philadelphia. As of 2022, ELG has reached more than 2,800 girls in 48 states, according to its website.

“It’s more than entrepreneurship. It’s sisterhood; it’s education. It’s everything for me,” said Memphis native Nina Collymore, the first ELG graduate. She joined in 8th grade and is now a senior at Norfolk State University.

Six program participants wanted to create a food business and were torn between ice cream and cookies. Ice cream won but the cookie idea emerged later. The teenagers wrote a proposal and marketing plan and pitched the idea to Angela Reddix, the founder of ELG and The Mustard Seed Place for women-owned businesses.

The boutique offers about a dozen ice cream flavors, including vegan options such as Victorious Vanilla Bean and Courageous Milk Chocolate. It also has shakes and chocolate chip cookies.

“ELG Sweet Boutique represents everything girls are: Sweet, bold and cute,” Collymore said.

The young founders are involved in the sweet shop — when they’re not in school. Only three live locally. They work shifts scooping up ice cream and smiles, handling social media and performing administrative duties. The business is open five days a week and is owned by Reddix and Tonya Perkins.

On this Sunday, two of the founders were scheduled to work later. Collymore was there, helping out parents with little ones squealing with delight. One customer asked Perkins if they were hiring.

In addition to the ice cream, I tried the freshly baked chocolate chip cookie. Crispy edges. Soft middle. Semi-sweet goodness.

My husband, Curtis, got the Radiant Rainbow sherbet with green, pink and orange. It looked appealing sitting high and mighty in the waffle cone. I asked him in my sweet voice for a taste. He agreed but kept an eye on me. Nostalgic and dependable came to mind after one lick. I felt like a kid again.

Sweet dreams are made of this.

Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com; on X, @gibsonrekaya
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If you go

Where: 340 High St., Portsmouth

Hours: Noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, noon to 7 p.m. Sunday

Prices: $5 scoop, $10 milkshakes

Details: 757-837-3818; bit.ly/ELGSB