Inside Scoop Cereal Treats and More
Where: 2815 Colonial Avenue, Norfolk, VA
What: Cereal-infused milkshakes, ice-cream waffles, sundaes and more
Hours: 2-8 p.m. Monday to Thursday; noon to 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; noon to 7 p.m. Sunday
Follow: Instagram
When Starla and Hollis King opened Inside Scoop Cereal Treats and More in June 2024, they set out to create a business that revived the best kind of childhood memories.
“This place kind of felt like home for us,” says Starla. The couple had spent years searching for the right spot to blend their family’s traditions into something bigger. “My husband grew up in the Park Place community. A lot of his childhood memories are from this same building. He would come here before and after school when it was a corner store. So when this space opened up, it just felt right.”
It’s that very mix of nostalgia and creativity that defined Inside Scoop. Inside, colors pulsate and glow from murals by local artists and from cartoon clips playing for kids, and shelves lined with classic cereals. “We wanted it to be bright and happy. Something that made people smile the moment they walk in,” she says.
Treat time
And the cereal isn’t mere decoration, as it’s a vital part of the menu. Inside Scoop fuses the comfort of breakfast cereal with the fun of ice cream, from cereal-infused milkshakes called “Shake-Ups” (think Fruity Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, or Oreo-O’s) to “Ice Cream Nachos” made with waffle chips instead of tortillas. Their signature “Scoop-A-Roos” sundaes were named by the Kings’ ten-year-old son; their “Plain Janes” cups, after their middle daughter, who always just wanted “a scoop of this and a scoop of that.” Another fan favorite is the Goop Scoop, an indulgent creation featuring a scoop of ice cream atop a warm belgian waffle. The flavor combinations are endless.
Beyond the sweets, the Kings have a real purpose. Starla, a former crisis clinician in the mental-health field, and Hollis, a mechanic and youth coach, both see their shop as an extension of their work in the community. “We reached out to 30 schools in Norfolk, and 10 of them responded,” she says. “We’re sponsoring Student of the Month and Perfect Attendance programs, giving kids a reason to celebrate their success.”
Up next
Their next chapter includes a dessert food truck and a fall lineup of warm treats: pumpkin pies, pound cakes with ice cream and cookie-sandwich “Sammies.” It’s a family business from start to finish and it’s built on travel memories, late-night cereal runs and the belief that everyone needs a little sweetness in their life.
