Fudge Factory Kilwins Makes Its D.C. Debut in Navy Yard

Kilwins, the nostalgia-inducing ice cream shop and candy store chain largely sprinkled along the East Coast, unveiled its first D.C. store next to Nationals Park on Monday, June 28. The 1,200-square-foot location (1250 Half Street SE) comes from the same group behind Tap99, a pour-your-own beer bar opening next door in three weeks. Along with cooling down customers with loaded ice cream flavors, Nats fans can load up on fudge, caramel corn, brittle, bear claws, marshmallows dipped in chocolate and caramel, and other confections made on-site. D.C. franchisee Jason Cherry (Mission Escape Rooms) hails from Annapolis, where a well-known Kilwins curbs sugar cravings year round. The 74-year-old brand that maintains another area location in Alexandria plans to plant three more shops across D.C. in the next five years.

In other news...

• Fast-casual chain Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls opens its second D.C. store in Georgetown on Thursday, July 1, at 11 a.m. (1078 Wisconsin Avenue NW). The Annapolis-born brand first came to town last year with a location in Dupont Circle, and another is en route Foggy Bottom food hall Western Market this year.

Mason’s Famous/official photo

• The Adams Morgan BID is asking its late-night jumbo slice shops to serve on paper plates instead of boxes after 10 p.m. on weekends to cut down on trash, and Washingtonian has thoughts. [W]
• Popville flags a Sunday, July 4 opening for Petworth’s new ice cream store Everyday Sundae Scoop Shop (713 Kennedy Street NW). [P]
• After a brief break, Glover Park’s Slate Wine Bar is back with a new globe-trotting menu featuring Russian golden Osetra caviar, Australian wagyu, Mediterranean prawns, and more from its Michelin-starred chef Danny Lledó.
• Dacha’s 5th annual “Sour Liz” beer week is back in Shaw, starring sour drafts from six breweries through Sunday, July 4.