A new Heyn’s Ice Cream location in the University of Iowa Iowa Memorial Union started serving scoops to students last Monday.
The UI added the ice cream shop after requests from students for more food options in the IMU and a desire to revitalize the basement area of the building, according to the IMU Associate Dean and Executive Director Bill Nelson.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity to revitalize a space that was the former Java House space and revitalize it in such a way that meets students’ demand around ice cream,” Nelson said.
UI Housing and Dining partnered with local creamery Heyn’s Premium Ice Cream to make the new shop possible. The UI provides staffing for the location and a soft-serve ice cream machine. Heyn’s provides eight hard-serve ice cream flavors for students to enjoy.
The new ice cream shop is located on the ground floor of the IMU near the Hawk Shop where Java House was formerly located. The capital changes to the IMU are part of the UI’s longer-term renovation plans set to begin in the summer of 2024.
The IMU will have a new center addressing student care and mental health services which will replace the Iowa House Hotel. The UI’s 10-year master plan allocated $63.7 million to the IMU for developing this new center.
The UI Food Pantry and Clothing Closet also relocated from the second floor to the area that used to house Hills Bank. The Hawk Shop will also receive a new coffee shop location, believed to be a Starbucks, according to some “Coming Soon” signs posted in the IMU basement.
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“What’s really special is as students make their way to the Iowa Hawk Shop and the university bookstore, we have the opportunity of a couple of new locations,” Nelson said.
Steph Beecher, the basic needs coordinator for the IMU, works with students to overcome challenges related to success at Iowa. Beecher said she has seen excitement from students while working in the IMU and the new food pantry location next to the ice cream shop.
“What’s amazing is that as you walk into the basement of the IMU it has synergy and energy now which is great … Students are excited for the ice cream shop, they’re excited for the food pantry and for giving them a space to have these services,” Beecher said.
UI third-year history student and employee of the new ice cream shop, Amelia Johnson, said the job is a new student employment opportunity.
“I’ve worked in other housing and dining places before and this is probably the most exciting one … it’s different from the dining halls or Union Station or the River Room,” Johnson said.