BY CAITLIN M. DEWICKI
“Deliver the experience and act with integrity,” is the foundational slogan with which Browndog Creamery was established.
Each team member’s integrity is what drives the business to achieve everything owners, Paul Gabriel and Brian Scherle, have set out to accomplish.
THEIR START
Ever since Gabriel was 14 years old he was bound for the ice cream business. His parents cultivated positive memories with their seasonal soft serve shop, Stuart’s in Novi, where dedication and service went hand-in-hand. These similar key values are what made Browndog Creamery the business it is today.
Before Gabriel and Scherle entered the ice cream business, they made plans to open up a restaurant. They found a desirable location available in downtown Northville. The owners at the time, however, wanted an ice cream parlor to share the space with their chocolate shop.
“Ice cream it is!”
Photo by Connor Rake Productions
With Gabriel’s background in the ice cream business, he and partner Scherle did not shy away from the challenge. Three weeks before they opened their Northville location in 2015, an ice cream maker was brought on and production began. Their goal was to “make creative hand packed flavors”, Gabriel recounts.
Soon enough the business grew and they were in search of a second location in Farmington. During the process of signing a lease they obtained a liquor license and Michigan’s first Dessert Bar was opened! They soon came to realize that the hours for a dessert bar were not sustainable. To combat this, they decided to combine their dream of a restaurant and their dessert bar and the “Barlor” was born (Bar + Ice Cream Parlor). A few years later, the Northville Ice Cream shop lease was up, so they moved next door and opened up their second Barlor & Restaurant.
Photo by Connor Rake Productions
Then, in April 2020, Gabriel and Scherle opened their first dedicated Production facility - right before Covid shut down the world. For a small business like Browndog, this type of economic shift could have been detrimental to their business, as it was to so many small businesses around the world. Paul Gabriel and Brian Scherle were determined to make it out of the pandemic and get back to what they loved: making ice cream. Now they are working on their third Browndog concept in Lansing, Michigan. Slated to open later this year.
PARTNERS IN LIFE AND BUSINESS
Paul Gabriel and Brian Scherle have been together for 13 years. They met through friends when Gabriel worked as a bartender in Royal Oak. Their relationship grew and in August 2021, they tied the knot and celebrated with all those who have supported them along the way.
Owning a business with your partner has its “benefits and disadvantages”, says Gabriel. The line between work life and home life can grow somewhat thin. “We get to share in the experience and build this together,” says Gabriel. “Overall it’s been a great experience”.
There is always business that needs to be discussed, and it can be effortless to bounce around flavor ideas on long drives, but Gabriel and Scherle prefer the structure of creative team meetings. Teamwork is what makes this business run smoothly. This is demonstrated through their flavor naming process.
THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Once a flavor is created, it must have a name. Gabriel comments on how this is the hardest part of the process. With over 500 different ice cream flavors it is clear how deciding on a unique name can have its setbacks. If a name is still undecided by the creative team, it is then opened up to the whole company. This allows the Browndog employees to feel a sense of involvement and community within a company that truly values their input.
“This is the flavor…what are some thoughts?”
Photo by Connor Rake Productions
The owners of Browndog Creamery have made it their prerogative to be “open-minded to all the staff and their own differences”. When bringing new people on board, Gabriel has stated that, “growing up being different” has driven them to be inclusive towards everyone they choose to work with.
LOCAL INVOLVEMENT
Not only are Gabriel and Scherle mindful of the people they hire, but also of the charities they support and where they source ingredients from.
Photo by Connor Rake Productions
Browndog Creamery got its name from Gabriel and Scherle’s rescue dog, Flash, who is a brown Boston Terrier. “We love dogs. Huge animal supporters.” It is clear that their Pints For Progress initiative stems from their desire to give helpless animals a safe and happy home.
For each ice cream pint sold, Browndog donates 10 cents to a local animal shelter. They rotate to a new shelter each quarter, hoping to help as many as possible. So far they have donated $3,265 to shelters such as: Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit, Michigan Animal Rescue League, Michigan Humane Society, Waggin’ Tails Dog Rescue, and P.O.E.T. Animal Rescue.
Photo by Connor Rake Productions
SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES
Supporting local businesses is imperative to Gabriel and Scherle. While sourcing the ingredients used in their products from local businesses may not always be the most financially sustainable approach, they have decided providing value and sticking to their Michigan roots is a top priority.
“We’re a small business. We’re local. We want people to support us, so we do the same as much as we can.”
Currently, Browndog has teamed up with Faygo to release a line of Faygo pop infused ice cream. With help from Faygo’s flavorologist, Browndog has created six flavors: Unicorn Swirl, Choc & Rye, Groovy Grape, Motown Jam, Citrus Mist, and Peaches & Cream.
Each ice cream flavor is made with the base flavorings of the corresponding Faygo pop. So it doesn’t just taste like Faygo, it is Faygo. This local collaboration allows Browndog to deliver a nostalgic experience for every Michigander, while maintaining their integrity to these well-known flavors.
Photo by Connor Rake Productions
SHOP BROWNDOG AT WOODWARD CORNER MARKET
Meijer has allowed Browndog Creamery an opportunity to grow the business by supplying their products in-store. “Meijer was the first big store that brought us in.” That was an immense opportunity for Browndog.
With Browndog being a Michigan-based business that makes a conscious effort to support fellow local businesses, it was a significant deal for them to be embraced by Meijer whose key pillars are fresh products, local businesses, and value prices.
“Meijer as a company has been amazing.”
Browndog’s involvement with Woodward Corner Market over the last few years has been a valuable partnership for the whole neighborhood. With opportunities for both businesses to join efforts and support local events such as ice cream socials and art fairs, it is clear community is valued by Browndog and Woodward Corner Market. Many stores may advertise support for local products, but it’s clear, says Paul, that “Meijer really means it”.
Photo by Connor Rake Productions
At Woodward Corner Market, we are proud to sell Browndog Creamery handcrafted ice cream. With your purchase, you are supporting a local business that makes an effort to give back to their community as well as create a thoughtful experience for customers through their high-quality products.
Find Browndog ice creams in our frozen department and their ready-to-go Barlor meals in our deli aisle!
