Overland Park – The Golden Scoop, a nonprofit ice‑cream and coffee shop that employs adults with developmental disabilities, announced that its brick‑and‑mortar location on 95th Street and Nall Avenue will close at the end of October. In its place, the organization will launch a newly wrapped, wheelchair‑accessible food‑truck that will travel throughout Johnson County.
Keeping jobs while expanding reach
CEO Amber Schreiber said the decision was driven by two trends she has observed over the past five years. First, catering and wholesale orders have risen steadily, while traditional dine‑in traffic has declined across the food‑service industry. Second, the shop’s employees—referred to as “Super Scoopers”—express a strong desire to work outside the storefront and interact with the broader community.
“We wanted to meet people where they were at, and also get our Super Scoopers out into the community, telling their stories, mingling with people at events and working on social skills,” Schreiber explained. The mobile unit will retain all current staff, preserving their existing shifts and offering the possibility of additional hours as demand grows.
Accessibility built in
The truck will feature a wheelchair lift and a lowered serving window, ensuring that both employees and customers with mobility challenges can participate fully. Schreiber emphasized that employee security was a top priority: “Anytime we make a decision, the Super Scoopers are at the forefront. We definitely wanted to make sure that when making this decision, our Super Scoopers were not going to lose their jobs.”
What the truck will offer
Equipped to serve both ice cream and coffee, the vehicle will appear at local festivals, office parks, schools and sporting events throughout the year, weather permitting. A booking portal is already live for organizations that wish to schedule the Golden Scoop at private functions.
“We want to be all over town,” Schreiber said, noting that the mobile operation will allow the nonprofit to reach neighborhoods that previously lacked easy access to its treats.
Community support and upcoming ribbon‑cutting
The project has been funded in part by the Sherman Family Foundation and the Junior League of Kansas City. The Golden Scoop plans a ribbon‑cutting ceremony this fall to celebrate the truck’s debut and to thank supporters.
Longtime patrons have been stopping by the storefront for final visits, sharing memories and expressing optimism about the next chapter. “It was never just about being within four walls. It’s been about expansion and exposure and getting the word out about how talented and valued uniquely‑abled people are in the workforce,” Schreiber said.
Looking ahead
While the physical shop will close, the organization’s mission to provide meaningful employment to adults with developmental disabilities remains unchanged. By taking the business on the road, The Golden Scoop hopes to demonstrate that inclusive hiring practices can thrive in a mobile, community‑focused model.
Original reporting: Johnson County Post (Overland Park) — read the source article.
