The Ice Guys, Dice Guys combined ice cream shop and game store in Old Colorado City has added a second location downtown off Tejon and Moreno in the former Dad’s Donuts. The new addition is just one of many ways owner Adam Stepan stays involved in the community.
Stepan’s step into downtown is just the most recent development in the entrepreneur’s endeavors, but the scoop on how he got here goes beyond board games and ice cream.
“I would say what has happened now is like an amalgamation of my weird career,” Stepan says.
Ice Guys, Dice Guys Origin Story
Originally from Austin, Texas, Stepan has worked in online sales, solar power, construction and food. He was involved in the PTA at his children’s school and made an effort to help rebuild parts of Austin that he felt needed to be preserved.
“I built a life that you never leave,” he say, referring to the success of his solar company. “I leaned into life, and then I was doing all the things that people typically don’t leave. But what I found is when you’re sick and you’re unhappy, nothing else matters.”
Nine years ago, Stepan’s doctor told him it wouldn’t be long until he was in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. An aggressive form of rheumatoid arthritis had begun prey on his health. He discovered that he had a severe allergy to mold. Living in a humid climate and working in construction wasn’t helping.
Ending up in Colorado Springs was no dice roll. He pulled up a map, and filtered for the states with the lowest amounts of mold.
After moving to the Springs, he started the game shop Dice Guys, and eventually the opportunity arose to move the Old Colorado City location into a new space. At the same time, Stepan was starting a partnership with the Springs Ensemble Theatre and moving into a house that was to become a construction project. Despite his schedule, the prospect of adding ice cream to the mix was too sweet to refuse.
“My wife now, she woke up at like 3 o’clock in the morning and I’m googling how to make ice cream,” he says.
Ice Cream and Board Games
Stepan says he wanted to make his ice cream with character, emphasizing real ingredients. Ice Guys boasts specialty flavors like Earl Grey tea and shortbread cookies and basil. Even classic flavors have a special spin. There are also vegan and gluten-free options.
The board game side of the shop aims for a coffee shop vibe. The catalog in the new locations offers a best-selling inventory compared to the wider selection of its sister location. According to Stehan, board games bring people together, so the goal of the shop hasn’t changed.
“Do you like smiling? Because we’ve got you covered,” he says.
With a grand opening on June 12 for the new location, Stepan hopes to roll out a more extensive breakfast menu.
29 E. Moreno Ave.
