Glasgow Loop and Scoop owner reveals plans for Victoria Road spot

The Glasgow Times paid a visit to the unit last year when we were treated to a Willy Wonka-style tour from company director Calvin Kayes, who told us of his tireless pursuit of the perfect flavours using only the best ingredients.

But this week, we’re back with only one objective, to get the inside scoop on the opening of its new Victoria Road location which has taken over the space of the iconic Queens Cafe.

Calvin, 35, said: “People have been crying out for a Southside site for a long time and we’re asked all the time when we will be ready to open.

“We were there earlier this week, and it was such a nice night with a wee bit of spring in the air.

“It made me so hopeful for the site and I got a real buzz thinking about two or three months from now when Queen’s Park will be bustling.

“It’s a really vibrant area and we can’t wait to get past that final line now.”

Despite an undeniable sense of excitement as opening day for the third branch approaches, it’s been a tough road for the team, which has tackled Covid lockdowns and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Pictured: Calvin's children lend a hand at the new shop (Image: newsquest)

In particular, Calvin says he has struggled with the assumption that his family business is a faceless dessert chain. He said: “We’re not some big corporation.

“It’s a small Scottish business which is run by me and my wife and will hopefully pass on to my three young girls someday.

“I’m just a guy who is doing my best to work at something I love before coming home to my kids at night.

“There are no plans for world domination.

“For me, it’s all about striking a balance between restoring the site and keeping all of the good parts while adding in more character.”

Joining us in our conversation and hoping to put any doubts about Calvin’s genuine passion for his work to rest is Bruno Gargaro, the landlord of the former Queens Cafe unit which was run by his nonna and family for more than three generations.

He said: “The shop had to go to a good home, and we would never have given it away to just anybody.

“This wasn’t just some property that we had gone out and bought, this place was my family’s life.

“We worked it ourselves for over 42 years.

“Calvin has a product that nobody else does and he’s doing what the old-fashioned Italians used to do years ago.

“It’s all about the best of the best.

“The guy is absolutely fanatical about what he does and we love his ice cream.”

Determined to honour the history of the beloved Govanhill spot, Calvin has now entered the final stages of refurbishment, using archive photos to enhance key features like a colourful set of stained glass windows which generations past and present have come to know ahead of a spring opening date.

Pictured: Loop and Scoop via Instagram (Image: newsquest)

He said: “Bruno has such amazing stories about this place.

“Every time we go to the site, he’ll say something like ‘I used to make ice cream in that corner’ or ‘I used to do my homework in an office here’.

“A lot of people in the community have such strong memories of the place and we’re not looking to come in and erase any of that.

“A lot of the work that we’re doing is stuff that people won’t be able to see but will help to cement the future of the site so that it will still be here for the next 100 odd years.

“I eat, sleep, breathe and dream Loop and Scoop, I just can’t help it, and that’s why I think Bruno feels confident in passing the torch."

A smile spreads across Bruno’s face as he agrees: “It’s a love affair, that’s what it is.”

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