The new North Vancouver location of Earnest Ice Cream opens this Friday at 127 West 1st Street. The 1,087 sqft scoop shop – located next to the John Braithwaite Community Centre and designed by Janks Design Group – is the fourth address for the local company, which was recently voted by Scout readers as having the best ice cream in the city. Built by Harmony Pacific Projects, the imminent 20 seater is ironically sandwiched between a couple of fitness studios — talk about a gauntlet! Even though it’s just a stone’s throw from bustling Lower Lonsdale it’s recessed enough to feel like a comparatively quiet oasis. It’s too bad we have to wait until Fall for them to launch their patio, but it’s easy enough to imagine how nice it will be. People will come.

The space is on the ground floor of a brand new condo development. Owners Ben Ernst and Erica Bernardi took possession of it this past winter. The design follows the clean creamy white and black minimalist aesthetic as the other locations. There’s a double row of black chalkboard-painted flavour clipboards and a slatted menu on the rear wall, hanging planters lending it all a little green, a mix of high and low locally made Shipway stools, and beautifully snowflaky “Myco” light fixtures from East Van’s own Propeller (I love their stuff). Offerings will include scoops, sundaes, pints, cold brew coffee, kombucha, ice cream floats and more. Hours will be 12pm to 10pm, seven days a week.