Joey Launi of Lolly’s on Embracing the SOFT Side of Business
Few things are as sweet as a morning spent in community… but a gathering centered around ice cream may just take the cake, as it did this month, thanks to Joey Launi of Lolly’s Creamery. In the spirit of October’s SOFT theme, Joey served up insights, inspiration and a whole lot of joy as he shared his brand’s story with dozens of guests at the Creative Well Arts Foundation.
Lolly’s officially opened its first Virginia Beach location in 2017, but the vision for the brand started long before. Inspired by the nostalgic sense of place provided by neighborhood scoop shops and named after the family’s loving childhood dog, Lolly, the beloved local ice cream shop franchise has exceeded all of Joey’s expectations. Fulfilling his dream of opening a food business with his dad, Dom, a 40-year food services veteran, Joey says, was the culmination of following his heart and knowing his purpose, as well as a touch of serendipity.
After graduating from James Madison University, Joey and his wife, Jacklyn, found themselves craving Virginia Beach’s version of their beloved Kline’s Dairy Bar in Harrisonburg, Va., which punctuated much of their early love story. Slowly and intentionally, the couple laid the foundation for what is now a beloved local ice cream chain.
A passionate mentor and educator, Joey spent nearly two decades as a high school teacher and youth pastor before embarking on his full-time entrepreneurial journey alongside Dom and Jacklyn. From learning the basics of ice cream making and baking (all of Lolly’s delicious inclusions are baked from scratch, in-house!) to managing and scaling a team, they went all in with open hands – that is, with curiosity, humility and an openness to learn from others.
“At the end of the day, Lolly’s is about sharing joy, about bringing people together. Ice cream just happens to be the medium for that, and it needs to be really, really good ice cream!”
Fittingly, Lolly’s was named in honor of Joey’s childhood dog, Lolly, who was the heartbeat of the Launi home. Much like Lolly spread joy and brought everyone together, so too does Joey hope Lolly’s can become a catalyst for connection and a sweet bridge between generations.
With the Joy Bike, a vintage-inspired ice cream cart, Lolly’s began spreading smiles and scoops of deliciously inventive flavors throughout Virginia Beach. Before long, the community was serving them right back, helping kickstart their first brick-and-mortar in the heart of the ViBe Creative District in 2018. The rest, as they say, is history.
“We are humbled to be not just a business but a community. Thanks to the support of our neighborhoods, Lolly’s has the opportunity to build a long legacy.”
With four shops across Coastal Virginia and two more opening in the next six months, Lolly’s joy is more palpable than ever. Their secret ingredient, Joey says, is the brand’s humanity, the acknowledgement that behind every scoop of ice cream is someone’s face and, hopefully, a smile. With a sweet story worth sharing, there’s no doubt Lolly’s smiles are just beginning.
Learn more about Lolly’s Creamery at lollyscreamery.com, or follow @lollyscreamery to join the #spreadthejoyclub.
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Written by CMVB volunteer blogger Valeria L. Palmertree
Join us every third Friday in 2025 as we explore, along with 236 other cities in 69 countries around the world, 12 new themes in a face-to-face community format. Recent themes have included Cycle, Layers, Revival, Punk and Parallel. November’s theme is GROWTH, and our featured speaker will be artist Markt Butts.
CM also has virtual field trips and a database of previous talks to enjoy and explore at home.
