CREAM is one of the go-to spots for CSUN students to stay cool.
This dessert place, located on the corner of Reseda and Nordhoff, offers fresh baked cookies, brownies, cones, milk shakes, malts and floats. Additionally, CREAM sells ice cream sandwiches, ice cream tacos and traditional ice cream cones.
CREAM’s first location opened in 2010 by Jimmy and Gus Shamieh in Berkeley, California. The business is now a franchise available to any one, and it quickly spread to several cities.
David Zeichick, owner of CREAM’s Northridge location, said he partnered up with his long-time friend Mario Ramirez to buy the franchise because he was interested in the idea behind the story of CREAM.
CREAM may sound similar to Westwood’s Diddy Riese, a dessert shop open since 1983 that is known for its ice cream sandwiches, shaved ice and notoriously long line. Diddy Riese also offers a similar selection of fresh baked cookies, brownies and cookie sundaes.
Zeichick remembered when he was a college student at the University of California, Los Angeles, and would go to Diddy Riese for a cheap dessert to cool off.
“Once I heard this product was available, and obviously knowing Diddy Riese, I thought ‘What a great concept, what a great price,'” Ziechick said. “My partner and I have the entire San Fernando Valley, and we’re going to be popping them up all over the valley as soon as we find great locations like this one.”
CSUN junior Tiana Collins said she had already tried CREAM in San Jose, Calif., when she had gone on a weekend trip with friends. She was especially excited when the location next to CSUN opened up because it has good prices for students on a budget.
“So far, the white chocolate macadamia nut and snicker doodle ice cream sandwich with the salted caramel ice cream and walnuts is my favorite thing,” Collins said. “I get it all the time.”
Katheryn Alarcon, a sophomore at CSUN, said she enjoyed her experience at CREAM — from the customer service to the chocolate chip, and cookies and cream ice cream sandwich.
“I like how the cookies are freshly baked, and they literally take it out of the oven for you,” Alarcon said. “I can’t wait to try the ice cream taco.”
Aside from having affordable prices and a variety of sweet options to mix and match, CREAM also stays open late every Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. – 12 a.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 2 a.m.
“We’re hoping to become the hangout place for people late at night,” Zeichick said.
