Little Bear - Deb is retiring this year

One of the things we look forward to each trip to Montana is at least one visit to Little Bear.  It's a special ice cream shop in Thompson Falls.  What makes it special is the machine that transforms ice cream and mix-ins to unique soft-serve creations.

Deb (of Little Bear) has survived a lot, including a cancer that took her voice box, the death of her husband Tom.  She's decided it's time for her to retire.  She's trying really hard to sell the place with the condition that the new owners continue the Little Bear tradition.  So far, potential buyers want the building, but not the business.  But, this is the last summer for Little Bear as we know it.  We will make sure all our guests get a shot at this unique treat while we're here.

So, what's so special about Little Bear's ice cream?  The machine, one of only a handful ever brought to the US, transforms ordinary Meadow Gold ice cream (vanilla or chocolate), or frozen yogurt, into unique soft-serve creations.  You pick one or more mix-ins and they run them through the machine with 2 or more blocks of ice cream.  You can use their suggested combinations or make your own.

When it comes out of the machine it is fully combined and transformed.  My favorite - the Grizzly Delight" - is vanilla ice cream, mini chocolate chips, cream cheese, almonds and huckleberries.  It comes out as purple soft-serve with all those flavors in every bite.

A couple years ago we heard the story of Cold Stone.  The guy who started that company worked for Deb at Little Bear, learned the ice cream game, then went off and used her idea to start a competing company.  He never thanked her, never offered her anything as repayment for teaching him the business.  And he didn't want to invest in one of the machines.  He saved money going with a slab of marble and a couple of ice cream spades.  Because of that, we never went to Cold Stone again.  We have held out for Little Bear each summer. 

If Deb can't find a buyer who will carry on the Little Bear tradition, we will really miss this summer treat.