Get the scoop on this Colorado roadside attraction. Little Man Ice Cream in Denver, Colorado serves delicious treats inside of a giant milk can shaped building. It’s a sweet stop you can’t miss!
The Little Man Ice Cream Company opened in 2008. It was the vision of local real estate developer Paul Tamburello, the man behind some of the most popular restaurants in Denver, like Root Down and Linger. When the space next to Linger (a restaurant housed in a former mortuary) became available he had the idea to create to open an old-fashioned-inspired ice cream shop and to throw in a novelty architecture twist.
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Tamburello was inspired by other iconic mimetic architecture, like California’s The Donut Hole (a giant drive-through doughnut) and Colorado’s own Coney Island Hot Dog Stand (a 1950s diner shaped like a giant hot dog) to build Little Man Ice Cream as a giant milk can shaped building.
Located in the Lower Highland neighborhood of Denver (LoHi), the retro ice cream stand is 28-feet tall, 14,000 pounds, and modeled after a 1928-vintage style cream can.
This milk can ice cream shop is so popular that on weekends it can inspire a wait of an hour or more for the creamy, hand-crafted ice cream. And because of the popularity, Little Man has expanded to six additional uniquely-themed locations:
- Little Man Ice Cream Factory (in a Willy Wonka-esque factory)
- Old Town Churn Ice Cream (in a building shaped like an antique wooden ice cream churn bucket)
- The Constellation Ice Cream (in a building topped with an airplane wing)
- Dang Soft Serve Ice Cream (in a building inspired by 80s pop culture)
- Sweet Cooie’s (in a building inspired by 1940s ice cream parlors)
- DIA Little Man Ice Cream (located in the Denver International Airport)
Whether you choose a cup or a cone, a scoop of their most popular Salted Oreo or any other flavor, a trip to Little Man Ice Cream in Denver Colorado’s iconic milk can ice cream shop just might melt your heart.
While visiting Denver be sure to also make room in your travel itinerary for some other fun local roadside attractions: the Big Blue Bear, Big Sweep, the Big Pencil, and the Giant Cows.
Little Man Ice Cream – Giant Milk Can Ice Cream Shop
Address: 620 16th St, Denver, CO 80211
Hours: Always Visible
Ice Cream Shop Hours: 11am-11pm Sunday-Thursday, 11am-12am Friday-Saturday
Cost: Free to See, Ice Cream costs vary
Visit the official website for up-to-date hours and menu.
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