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Valpo Velvet Drafting
Company:

Until 2009, Valpo Velvet ice cream was being sold at Walmart in the Portage and Michigan City area. Over the course of a year, their sales increased by $2,000 but despite their success, Walmart began to allocate them less and less room in their store. At this time, co-owner Cathy Brown commented in an interview that, "'Over Labor Day they took us out of the freezer door and moved us to an end cap,' Brown said. 'They tried to say they were trying something new, and, if it did well, they might move us back to the door. I think that was false.'". Brown speculated that their ice cream was removed from stores to be replaced by Walmart's new Great Value brand.

With Walmart being one of Valpo Velvet's largest customers, the company had to find another way to make up for lost sales. They decided to reopen the Valpo Velvet Shoppe, where they will sell soup and sandwiches in addition to ice cream. The shoppe first opened in 1997, but closed in 2001 so that the Brown family could focus on the ice cream business.

Cathy Brown is a co-owner of Valpo Velvet with her husband Mike Brown, and a Valparaiso Native. Cathy worked as a substitute teacher after receiving her degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University. She started working at Valpo Velvet when she married her husband, whose family opened the business in 1947. Mike and Cathy have three children, and both now work full time in the shop. As of 2016, Cathy was appointed to be on the Porter County Convention, Recreation and Visitor’s Commission.

History of Valpo Velvet (Company)
Originally called the Valparaiso Home Ice Company, what is currently known as "Valpo Velvet" was first established in 1920 and primarily sold ice and ice cream. The company expanded in 1922 in order for them produce an entire line of dairy products, which were sold across Porter County. It was not until 1947 that the Brown family purchased the dairy business, and they continue to operate it at the same location. In 1973, the company decided to sell much of their dairy business to Dixie Dairy, although they kept their ice cream equipment.

Family History
The Brown family originally immigrated from Switzerland to the United States, where they settled in Monroe, Wisconsin as dairy farmers. Herbert J. Brown, the current owner's grandfather, grew up in Monroe, WI and moved to Chicago to work in ice cream production. After realizing he wanted to own his own business, he decided to purchase Valpo Velvet from the previous owner Fred Bartz in 1947. Herbert's son, Gordon W. Brown joined the family business.