In 1996, Kim Malek, CEO and co-founder with her cousin Tyler Malek of craft ice cream company Salt & Straw, dreamed of opening an ice cream shop in Portland, Oregon. "When I moved here, I was struck by the experience of literally meeting people on the street who became some of my closest friends," Kim Malek tells Entrepreneur.

Portland is a "community-driven beacon," Kim Malek says, so the city was a natural spot to establish a third place that would bring people together. She worked at Starbucks in its early days, and the coffee chain also leaned into the idea of a space where customers could gather outside of the home or work.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Salt & Straw. Tyler Malek, left; Kim Malek, right.

Salt & Straw (named for how ice cream was made back in the day: frozen with rock salt and kept cold with straw) was founded in 2011. Over the past decade-plus, it's come a long way — from a single pushcart to a multi-city following thanks to its inventive flavors and community focus.

The company has expanded to locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada and Washington, with its first two New York City shops opening later this month. Additionally, Salt & Straw has seen a 27% four-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2020, per the company.

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Tyler Malek serves as Salt & Straw's head of innovation and helps shape the company's monthly rotating menu series — September's apple series boasts creations like "Apple Cider Donuts" and "Green Apple Wasabi Sorbet" — alongside permanent classics such as "Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons" and "Salted, Malted, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough."

Image Credit: Courtesy of Salt & Straw

Over the years, Salt & Straw's commitment to community has held firm, serving as a through-line in everything the company does, Kim Malek says. That spirit extends to the local businesses Salt & Straw partners with for flavor collaborations, its storefronts, the surrounding communities and its own team dynamics.

"You get to find out about something you might not have known about through our ice cream."

Salt & Straw has always aimed........

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