There is a new ice cream shop opening on Bloomfield Avenue just in time for the first real stretch of summer weather.
OddFellows Ice Cream Co., the Brooklyn-born brand known for playful flavors and colorful storefronts, officially opens Saturday at 555 Bloomfield Avenue in downtown Montclair. The new shop brings hand-packed ice cream, rotating seasonal flavors, outdoor seating coming soon, and a cream-and-red striped exterior that already feels like part of the summer streetscape.
“We were like, can we paint the building our colors?” co-owner Sam Friedman told The Montclair Pod. “Once they said yes, we were in. Because then it becomes the landmark, right? A destination.”
OddFellows originally launched in Brooklyn in 2013 and built a following around inventive flavors and offbeat combinations. Friedman said the company had been looking around Montclair for some time before landing on Bloomfield Avenue. They locked in a 5-year lease at the former Empanada or Nada location.
“We went to all the ice cream shops and gelato places,” he said. “And realized that in this strip there’s really not hand-packed ice cream from an ice cream parlor.”
The shop soft-opened during Porchfest weekend, which Friedman described as ambitious timing considering the space still looked like a construction site days earlier. But with temperatures climbing into the 80s after a long winter, they decided to push forward.
“We were like, we gotta open,” he said. The team worked overtime to get the shop and staff ready. “Three nights straight, day and night.”
Then, Montclair arrived.
“It was unbelievable,” Friedman said. “The community showed up. We served a ton of ice cream. Everyone was super happy.”
The menu balances straightforward kid favorites with flavors that lean far more experimental. According to Friedman, Montclair kids are currently gravitating toward vanilla with gummy bears, while parents are ordering things like miso peanut butter and jelly.
“You get adventurous parents that go full tilt on the other side,” he said.
Other current favorites include Brooklyn Blackout, a sprinkle-heavy staple, and Friedman’s personal recommendation: Coconut Mango Sticky Rice, a vegan flavor he described repeatedly as “so good.”
OddFellows rotates seasonal flavors regularly and experiments with unexpected toppings and combinations. Friedman mentioned some locations are currently testing chorizo toppings, which feels likely to become either a cult favorite or a neighborhood debate.
The owners say outdoor seating is on the way, and they hope the shop becomes more than just a quick dessert stop.
“It’s supposed to be fun,” Friedman said. “Bring your family, bring everyone. It’s all gonna be a good time.”
