Eugene-Based Ice Cream Brand Cosmic Bliss Is Opening Its First Scoop Shop in Portland

The Eugene-based ice cream brand Cosmic Bliss — formerly known as Coconut Bliss — is opening its first scoop shop in Portland’s Pearl District next week. The brand, which sells both dairy-free and dairy ice creams, will offer scoops, shakes in flavors like s’mores and cold brew, and ice cream sandwiches dipped in chocolate.

Cosmic Bliss originally opened as Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss in 2005, a project from Luna Marcus and Larry Kaplowitz. Using a $1.50 ice cream maker the founders thrifted, they started making non-dairy ice cream with coconut milk. At the time, very few coconut-based non-dairy ice creams existed in the U.S. market, which was dominated by rice and soy milk ice creams. The ice cream became increasingly popular throughout Oregon, spotted in grocery stores and at the Oregon Country Fair. In 2020, Human Co — from Jason Karp, the founder of Hu Chocolate — acquired majority interest in Coconut Bliss, renaming the company Cosmic Bliss. This year, it expanded to include a line of dairy ice creams, made with milk and cream from grass-fed cows.

At the ice cream shop, Cosmic Bliss will sell all of its dairy and dairy-free ice creams, plus some new flavors. Dairy-based flavors range from Banana Caramel Flambé to Strawberry Lemon Shortbread, while the coconut ice creams include things like Sweet Cherry Amaretto and Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate. Both dairy and dairy-free ice creams get blended into 13 different shakes, including a dairy-free raspberry-dark chocolate or a dairy-based vanilla shake with caramel sauce, ginger spice cookie dough, and crystalized ginger. A cold case will be stocked with ice cream sandwiches, which customers can order dipped in chocolate shell with additional toppings. All of the ice creams and sandwiches can get the sundae treatment, as well, with toppings like chocolate chip cookie dough, caramel, and freeze-dried strawberries. The ice cream shop will be 100 percent gluten-free, using organic ingredients in all items.

Cosmic Bliss opens on December 8 at 207 NW 10th Avenue.