INTERVIEW

When did you found the company?
In September 2020.

What was the background?
Actually, we organise events, but had to reorientate our business due to Corona. At first we opened the “Essecke” in Triebeler Straße together with the Kanervas company and were able to “keep our heads above water” with it. Then we went our separate ways in order to build up something more permanent. Kanervas founded “Pizza, Pasta & Langos” at the station and my wife and I decided to open an ice cream parlour. We have had the idea for a long time. But so far it has always remained a wish. There is no longer a real ice cream parlour in Forst. That also encouraged us to open the “Eisrose” here.

What do you offer your customers?
We offer Italian ice cream from pre-cooled sundaes. We get our ice cream from an Italian restaurant in Dresden. In autumn 2021, we added a soft ice cream machine. The soft ice cream powder comes from Radeberg and since then we’ve been serving “DDR soft ice cream”. It was really well received. Especially the older customers like to remember what soft ice cream used to be like. We are including more and more items, for example cola, from private companies in the region in our range. We are happy to fulfil special requests from our guests, such as the Swedish sundae, which are not on the menu. With our professional coffee machine, we can prepare the entire range of coffee specialities for our guests. They can then enjoy French crêpes, tart or bubble waffles (Brussels waffle batter in the shape of little balls) to name but a few. Our offer is varied. The highest quality is the most important thing for us. To achieve this, we have invested a lot in technology, equipment and kitchen. The pictures of Forster’s town history show what it used to look like here and our close connection to our home town.

Who are your customers?
There is no specific clientele. Our guests come from all age and population groups.

What have you enjoyed most so far?
That I went from being a “carousel spinner” to a waiter. I still do a few events in Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony, but not as much as before.

What was the biggest challenge?
I am an event planner and showman. Until now, I’ve only ever organised events and knew nothing at all about how an ice cream parlour runs. In order for the lateral entry to be successful, we informed ourselves with representatives about how to run an ice cream parlour, what it takes, and so on. When we had questions or got stuck, friends and business partners supported us.

What is the plan for the future?
We went into a winter break in November 2021 and opened at the end of March/beginning of April. The original plan was to open constantly. In future, there will be a closing break of one or two months in winter.

Do you have any vacancies?
Yes, we are looking for waiters or sales assistants or ice cream makers. These can be career changers.

Is it possible to do an internship here? Do you offer holiday work?
Yes, internships and holiday work are possible.

What does Forst as a location mean to you?
I was born here and I am and always will be in Forst.

What else is important to you?
We would like to thank the FWG, the Volksbank and the Forst businesses for their great support, which made it possible for us to put the idea of the “Ice Rose” into practice.