Go! Ice Cream “send off” fund ♥️
Donation protected
Hello, I’m Amy! Former store manager at Go! Ice Cream, and a current longtime pal (& neighbor!) of the ice cream man himself, Rob Hess.
A few days before Rob made the announcement that Go! would be closing permanently, we hung out on my porch, and he told me the news. Like many of you, I didn’t want to believe it. Rob always had a knack for finding creative ways to keep the store afloat. Ice cream pies during the holidays, dropping new flavors when the weather gets chilly, exploring various retail locations, you name it! But with the impacts of COVID, the construction downtown during their most profitable month, it simply wasn’t possible to bounce back…
We talked for hours, sharing memories through laughter and tears. We talked about what’s going to happen to the bajillion chocolate chips he recently ordered, the beautiful mural that was just added to the store, how he was going to tell the employees, etc. Questions no business owner ever wants to think about. Rob shared with me that the store is in debt, and I knew as a community, we could take care of Rob the way he’s taken care of us.
Rob has had a tough year. On top of constantly hustling to keep Go! open, he lost is Mom in 2022. He’s also been healing some personal trauma, which has been emotionally exhausting for him. But what amazes me about Rob, as most of you know, is his genuine, unwavering desire to make people happy, even during these difficult times. It’s so much deeper than being the ice cream man, he’s provided an entire community with joy, a safe space to be who we are, and a constant example of what it means to be a good human in this world.
I applied to Go! on a whim, looking to leave behind a toxic work environment. I knew immediately after meeting Rob that I wanted to be a part of this fun, tasty, chaotic vision- and it absolutely changed my life. I met Ypsilanti working at his store. The folks who work at city hall, the family that lives on my block, the fellow downtown shop owners, the kids at theater camp down the street. I learned so much about myself through Rob and his encouragement. I learned how to be an effective leader, how to brûlée a banana, and how to put your whole heart into what brings you joy.
I know for so many of you, Go! was a special place, filled with so many memories. Let’s send off the store debt free as a thank you for all he has done for us and Ypsilanti!
Thanks, everyone! Please share your fond memories from the store, I know that will make Rob happy
Organizer and beneficiary
Amy Dunwoodie
Organizer
Ypsilanti, MI
Robert Hess
Beneficiary