Rabia “Ruby” Kamara of Ruby Scoops (Photo by Mariah Miranda courtesy Ruby Scoops)
As Rabia “Ruby” Kamara explains why she loves Richmond, her voice begins to break. “If I never went to VCU, I would’ve never fallen in love with making ice cream,” she says. After five years of selling cool concoctions at farmers markets and grocery stores in the D.C. area, Kamara, 31, along with co-owner Emmett Wright, has returned to Richmond to debut Ruby Scoops, an ice cream shop set to open at 120 W. Brookland Park Blvd. in North Side this fall.
Richmond magazine: What does Richmond mean to you?
Ruby Kamara: Coming to Richmond, I got to experience a different side of myself and different restaurants. I was originally planning to go to law school, but being here and reconnecting with how happy it makes me to feed other people — I knew that's where I needed to go.
RM: Tell me more about how Richmond gave you freedom, food-wise.
Kamara: This was the first place I ate in restaurants where the people who owned [them] would be cooking or checking in with the guests. That was the first time I experienced hospitality and the freedom culinary artists get to experience.
RM: What are your favorite flavors you’ve served?
Kamara: I have two: One is sweet corn ice cream with Old Bay caramel — I'm from Maryland, so it felt right — and then my family has African and Arab roots, so I made a kunafa ice cream. It had handmade ricotta and pistachio ice cream, and we did a candy kataifi, which is shredded phyllo dough. Then I put a raspberry and strawberry ripple in it. That was really close to home for me.
RM: What’s the best part of serving ice cream?
Kamara: I still love watching people take that first spoonful of ice cream, watching their faces light up. It’s really exciting when [young] Black girls see me enjoying what I’m doing or owning my own business — whatever part of my journey resonates with them and makes them feel like they could do the same.
RM: How has the pandemic affected the opening process?
Kamara: It’s put us behind schedule. We also make most of our early season money at farmers markets and music festivals, and we couldn't do any of that this year. It hurts [that] we haven't been able to do what we've wanted for the last four months. We are hoping to be moving by Aug. 1, and to open to the public by September or October.
RM: How does it feel to be on the brink of opening your first brick-and-mortar business?
Kamara: It feels like a milestone to be able to become part of a neighborhood. I’ve been wanting to for a long time, so I’m really excited, but I’m even more excited it’s happening in Richmond.
