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Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

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Van Leeuwen
Founded2008 (2008) in New York City
FoundersPete Van Leeuwen, Ben Van Leeuwen, Laura O'Neill
Websitevanleeuwenicecream.com

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream is an American ice cream parlor chain.

History

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Van Leeuwen began as a food truck in New York City in 2008 between Pete Van Leeuwen, his brother Ben, and their partner Laura O'Neill. Their yellow trucks sold flavors based on imported ingredients like Ceylon cinnamon, Sicilian pistachios, and vanilla from Papua New Guinea.[1] The American private equity firm Nextworld invested $18.7 million in the company in 2020. By 2021, Van Leeuwen had opened 27 stores across the United States, including 17 in New York City.[2] Van Leeuwen opened its 30th store in 2022 with their first locations in Dallas[3] and Colorado.[4]

In November 2022, Van Leeuwen entered a settlement agreement with the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. The chain agreed to comply with a New York City law that banned retail stores from refusing to accept cash as payment and to pay $33,000 in outstanding civil penalties. Van Leeuwen had been violating the law since it went into effect in November 2020 and had declined to show up for any administrative hearings.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Tumin, Remy (October 20, 2022). "Cash or Card for a Cone? Van Leeuwen Must Take Both, N.Y.C. Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  2. ^ Howe, Ben Ryder (August 13, 2021). "The Cutthroat World of $10 Ice Cream". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  3. ^ Smith, Courtney E. (May 2, 2022). "New York City's Van Leeuwen to Open Ice Cream Shop in West Village". Eater Dallas. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Kirk, Alexander (August 5, 2022). "Van Leeuwen Ice Cream opening first Colorado shop". KUSA.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  5. ^ Orlow, Emma (October 20, 2022). "Van Leeuwen Agrees to Accept Cash Following Settlement With NYC Over Cashless Ban Law Violations". Eater NY. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
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