Food & Drink
Only in Seattle: Beloved Ice Cream Shop Launches Employee-Only Record Label
The many perks of working at Molly Moon’s.
By Gwendolyn Elliott September 1, 2017
This article originally appeared in the September 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
Since opening her first ice cream shop in Wallingford in 2008, Molly Neitzel–who uses her middle name, Moon, for her chain of beloved Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream stores—has had a reputation for providing a supportive work environment for her employees. Many are young musicians who are offered benefits (like health insurance) at 20 hours a week, flexible schedules for recording and touring, and the opportunity to choose their own in-store playlists.
The latest perk? Mooncrew Records, an in-house, employee-only record label. Eric Anderson of indie pop group Cataldo—an area manager for Molly Moon’s and one of its most tenured employees—is the imprint’s first signee.
Mooncrew released the album earlier this year, the band’s fifth album but first for a label with the kind of financial and marketing support Anderson previously generated on his own. (The album, Keepers, was released on vinyl and is available at all Molly Moon’s locations.) “The biggest help was having someone who knows me really well and understands what’s good about my music to let people know,” Anderson says.
It’s no coincidence that the album’s upbeat, poppy tunes go well with ice cream. “I think the record is kind of a good vibe record,” he says. “You’ve got to eat some ice cream while you’re listening to it.”
Cataldo plays Bumbershoot on Saturday, September 2.
Follow Us
Book Excerpt: Old White Man Writing
Seattle resident Joshua Gidding examines his own white privilege
In his book, Old White Man Writing, Seattle resident Joshua Gidding attempts to come to terms with his privilege. Gidding grapples with the rapidly changing cultural norms in 21st-century America while examining his own racial biases and prejudices. As Manhattan Book Review notes: “Old White Man Writing is an introspective deep dive into an eventful life…
Glacial Expressions
Local scientist and painter Jill Pelto spotlights climate change in a multi-artist show at Slip Gallery
The divide between the arts and sciences is long-fostered and well-documented. From elementary school onward, children are often singled out for their penchant for math or artistic ability and guided toward classes — and later careers — that align with their right or left brain tendencies. For Jill Pelto — a local climate scientist, painter,…
How Taproot Theatre Survived A Financial Crisis
Theatre is planning for its 50th birthday next year
Karen Lund vividly remembers that sinking feeling she had in the fall of 2023. That was when Lund, producing artistic director of Taproot Theatre Co., first realized that the financially strapped, midsized professional theatre in the Greenwood neighborhood might not survive. The theatre had already weathered the worst of the pandemic, but costs were mounting….
Humanities Washington Fights ‘Midnight’ Cuts
Nonprofit loses previously approved federal grants with little warning
The letter came without warning, like a slap in the face from an invisible hand. Humanities Washington CEO and Executive Director Julie Ziegler had already been talking with peers in other states, and she readied herself for the blow. The National Endowment for the Humanities (think DOGE) had terminated her nonprofit’s previously awarded federal grant…