Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Tory Lanez’s Notorious Creamery opening June 15
Fort Lauderdale’s evergrowing Flagler Village is gaining some celebrity with its newest tenant, the ice cream shop Notorious Creamery from Grammynominated rapper Tory Lanez.
The 700-square-foot frozen treat shack at 908 N. Flagler Drive will debut at noon Saturday, June 15, inside the Hive, a honeycomb of mural-covered warehouses behind Searstown.
Notorious Creamery will be operated by Lanez and Bobby Velez (general manager of nearby cocktail hangout Rhythm and Vine), who says the parlor will feature 12 flavors. The shop’s Instagram feed teases several tantalizing options, including vegan (and non-vegan) toasted almond coconut fudge and the Cookie Monster, scoops of blue ice cream studded with Oreos and chocolate-chip pieces. Milk shakes as well as mango and watermelon sorbets also beckoned on the shop’s Facebook page.
So why would Lanez, a Toronto-born trap and R&B artist, care about ice cream in Fort Lauderdale? Velez says the partnership began through a mutual friend, Lanez’s former personal bodyguard, who arranged a meeting with the rapper last year. Velez recalls being struck by Lanez’s “strong business mind,” especially in operating his clothing line Forever Umbrella, and his mentorship of up-andcoming hip-hop artists, he says.
When Velez pitched Lanez the idea, the rapper reacted with “lots of excitement,” he says. “He’s always wanted to get involved in hospitality, and I just loved what he’s working on behind the scenes, creating new trends.”
Describing Notorious Creamery as “an authentic, old-school shop but with a modern, boutique twist,” Velez says the parlor fills an ice cream void in Flagler Village and its dual art districts, FAT Village and MASS. The shop will offer ice-cream sandwiches and cookies, brownies and cake slices, all sourced from local bakeries. Scoops will initially be sourced from a Palm Beach-based icecream maker, although Notorious plans to make its own within months, he says.
“We’ll have those Instagrammable cones and shapes, and we’ll make our own waffle cones and milkshakes,” Velez says. Employees also will make personalized treats for sweet-toothed visitors who pick the menu’s “Dealer’s Choice” option, aimed at undecided eaters.
If Notorious Creamery is successful, Velez is plotting a rapid expansion of the brand, including possible shops in Weston, Davie, Boca Raton and Delray Beach, he says.
Lanez (“Luv,” “Say It”) released his most recent album, “Love Me Now,” in November, debuting at No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 200 chart. The 26-year-old born Daystar Peterson, who spent his childhood years in Miami before moving back to Toronto, borrowed his nickname “Notorious” from his hip-hop idol, Notorious B.I.G.