Max's Best Icecream

[Anonymous]

Really bad decision by the Rocklands owner, in my opinion, and one that has earned them the enmity of the whole community. You can debate whether the neighborhood reaction is right or wrong, but it's there, it's heartfelt, and it's not going away anytime soon.

We have lived in Glover Park for 10+ years and love Max, his family, and his ice cream, as does practically everybody else in this neighborhood (and many folks all over the city). We go to Max's on the last day of school every year, we buy our birthday cakes from him year after year, and come to think of it, we're there for cones way too often the rest of the year.

There are at least 5 empty storefronts in Glover Park that Rocklands could have moved into. Instead they and their landlord chose to ruin the livelihood of a really kind man and to destroy one of our neighborhood institutions. It's shameful and all too common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Really bad decision by the Rocklands owner, in my opinion, and one that has earned them the enmity of the whole community. You can debate whether the neighborhood reaction is right or wrong, but it's there, it's heartfelt, and it's not going away anytime soon.

We have lived in Glover Park for 10+ years and love Max, his family, and his ice cream, as does practically everybody else in this neighborhood (and many folks all over the city). We go to Max's on the last day of school every year, we buy our birthday cakes from him year after year, and come to think of it, we're there for cones way too often the rest of the year.

There are at least 5 empty storefronts in Glover Park that Rocklands could have moved into. Instead they and their landlord chose to ruin the livelihood of a really kind man and to destroy one of our neighborhood institutions. It's shameful and all too common.

It is greed. Rockland wants a cheap expansion at Max's expense.

[Anonymous]

I am very sad for Max, but I was at the ANC meeting where Rocklands' owner spoke, along with other people who knew the story. Max learned last fall that his lease was not going to be renewed, and that June date was always the end point of his 20-year lease. Someone at the meeting said there were up to three other businesses in line to move into the space beside Rocklands. The landlord has no doubt seen rents go up like crazy on the strip over the past 20 years and this was her chance to increase her revenue -- I kind of like the fact she choose a local business when there were probably chains waiting. I really don't see good guys or bad guys here, just three businessmen, two who were paying attention and one who was not. (My neighbor said she thought Marsha was the business-person.)

I'll miss pumpkin pie ice cream, but I'm glad we're keeping a local business and friend to the community. Basically, Rocklands is betting (again) on GP being a good place. I'd hate to see GP become all chains (actually, I'd probably move if it did). I think the neighbors should try to make sure that Max has a good last couple months and gets full value for whatever he improved.

[Anonymous]

I'm sad for Max, too, but I agree that he erred in business judgment. He should have been aware that the lease term was going to be up and secured a new or extended lease before investing in improvements. Now he is being dramatic and emotional, which is understandable given his recent loss, but isn't really a fair characterization of what has happened. That said, it would be a lovely thing for the neighborhood in which he is so beloved helped him raise the resources to get started in another location. Kickstarter perhaps?

[Anonymous]

I don't think he is interested in another location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think he is interested in another location.

Then I think the neighborhood needs to realize that he likely isn't interested in staying in business and that change is just hard - hard for him and hard for his customers. He may have decided to close but is having regrets right now that the time is coming up for it to actually happen.

[Anonymous]

I like ice cream more than BBQ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sad for Max, too, but I agree that he erred in business judgment. He should have been aware that the lease term was going to be up and secured a new or extended lease before investing in improvements. Now he is being dramatic and emotional, which is understandable given his recent loss, but isn't really a fair characterization of what has happened. That said, it would be a lovely thing for the neighborhood in which he is so beloved helped him raise the resources to get started in another location. Kickstarter perhaps?

Well, when you lose your wife, best friend, sole business partner as well as your business, you would feel "dramatic and emotional" too.

The ice cream store was two-person operation for nearly 20 years, so there was definitely an adjustment period. Max deserves better than this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No!!! I lived in GP for 4 years and I still think fondly of Max's pumpkin ice cream. Also such a nice guy.

I disagree. The several times I have been there (at my son's behest) Not that I wish ill on the man, but 've found him to be abrasive and pushy. And I think the ice cream is overpriced for what it is. $1.00 for sprinkles? Really? I like the idea of the place, but not the establishment itself. Just my humble opinion.

[Anonymous]

How can you be pushy selling ice cream?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No!!! I lived in GP for 4 years and I still think fondly of Max's pumpkin ice cream. Also such a nice guy.

I disagree. The several times I have been there (at my son's behest) Not that I wish ill on the man, but 've found him to be abrasive and pushy. And I think the ice cream is overpriced for what it is. $1.00 for sprinkles? Really? I like the idea of the place, but not the establishment itself. Just my humble opinion.

Maybe he was giving what he was getting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No!!! I lived in GP for 4 years and I still think fondly of Max's pumpkin ice cream. Also such a nice guy.

I disagree. The several times I have been there (at my son's behest) Not that I wish ill on the man, but 've found him to be abrasive and pushy. And I think the ice cream is overpriced for what it is. $1.00 for sprinkles? Really? I like the idea of the place, but not the establishment itself. Just my humble opinion.

Maybe he was giving what he was getting.

no need to get defensive. I was simply stating my opinion. Apologies for not agreeing with you. DCUrbanBully strikes again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No!!! I lived in GP for 4 years and I still think fondly of Max's pumpkin ice cream. Also such a nice guy.

I disagree. The several times I have been there (at my son's behest) Not that I wish ill on the man, but 've found him to be abrasive and pushy. And I think the ice cream is overpriced for what it is. $1.00 for sprinkles? Really? I like the idea of the place, but not the establishment itself. Just my humble opinion.

Well, I haven't lived there since 2006, but he definitely wasn't pushy back then. He's not effusively warm, but if you talked to him, you would know he's a really good guy. I never paid for sprinkles

[Anonymous]

Max got an extension until October. Here's an account. Max seems to like playing the victim.
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/capitalcomment/local-news/revisiting-the-maxs-best-ice-cream-vs-rocklands-barbeque-lease-dispute.php

[Anonymous]

Yea!