And there it was, for all to see, like a giant black and white checkered flagship that had landed on one of the more, destitute corners that bordered the Historic Core. A corner plagued with darkened windows, wandering nomads, abandoned storefronts and the giant ancient ruins of a land that once was. For months the inhabitants of the region stood motionless wondering what lied beyond of the brown-papered windows that hid the unknown, until one day, without a hint of fanfare, it opened, but still many had no idea what it was.
Inside, a countertop, bar stools and more checked squares, with a window decal that read, “Little Damage” which could have meant anything and boggled much imagination. Hmmm, we thought, must be some kind of new sandwich shop. But no, we were wrong. It was no sandwich shop at all, and when the doors finally opened out came a pint-sized wonder named, Jenny. Jenny Damage.
Jenny Damage, standing alone with her tiny hands wrapped around a dark gray ice cream swirled perfectly inside an even darker, almost black, ice cream cone. Her jet black hair blowing alongside a tiny cape flowing with a list of ice cream ingredients that no one had ever dared to explore. “It’s healthy”, she said, “made from activated charcoal, that’s why it’s dark.”
Whoa, awwwwe, wowwww! The crowd crooned, as they came in closer and closer to observe the unfamiliar. “I have battled Lactose Intolerance and have lived to tell the tale. I bring you ice cream and vegan ice cream as well. Care to try some?”
And just like that, the corner of 7th and Spring was transformed. The entire way we looked and felt about ice cream was transformed too. From that moment on, things would never be the same for Downtown Los Angeles.
First, there was one, then there were many.
“Wait, wait!” cried Jenny, but it was too late, once the people got a chance to try the fantastic flavors they just kept coming and coming. It wouldn’t stop. And after the press got a hold of the story the lines began to form around the block. For months ice cream fanatics were flocking in from all over the world just to get a taste of Jenny’s dark creations.
“It’s Goth ice cream.”
they proclaimed,
“It’s sinfully delicious”,
they shouted.
“It’s as dark as our souls”
they decreed.
“See the horns?”
The internet nearly shut down thanks to all the Instagram posts and so did half the ice cream shops around the city. Little Damage, eh? That became an understatement for the competition.
Sometimes things just have a way of working out…Here’s a former USC grad who majored in business, who was once traumatized by ice cream. Suffering from the evils of being lactose intolerant, she had almost been forced to give it up. But, not this time Lactose! After beating her old nemesis, Damage went to work in her laboratory, where she still spends most days coming up with wondrous flavors for the masses; unconventional recipes that allow us to step outside of our comfort zone and get a little adventurous. Flavors like Black Jack or Unicorn Tears, a light blue ice
cream that looks like a teardrop fallen
from a magical unicorn and tastes just like vanilla birthday cake –
Well, Happy Birthday DTLA~ Jenny Damage has brought you all one hell of a gift.
It’s Ice Cream all day, every day!
For Jenny, the pressure of feeding thousands of people a day has calmed down a little, but the shop still fills each day as Little Damage continues to attract people from all over the globe.
“It’s amazing to see and meet smiling faces who share a common interest – ice cream!” says Jenny Damage. And the flavors rotate with the seasons, meaning, there are more flavors to come. So visit Little Damage, try something new and take a picture, because it’s definitely gonna last longer than the ice cream once you put your lips to it. Little Damage is located at 700 S. Spring Street, LA CA 90014.
#little.damage
