Ten years ago, Tamara Keefe traded corporate boardrooms for ice cream scoops, turning a small Lafayette Square parlor into a nationally celebrated microcreamery empire built on flavor, innovation and relentless drive.
This spring, Clementine’s Ice Cream celebrated a decade of scooping happiness with a weeklong birthday bash, a brand-new line of flavors and even a limited-edition vinyl record. The collection, called “Songs About Ice Cream: Tasty Tracks on Wax,” features original music by St. Louis artists and is available at all Clementine’s locations (excluding Kirkwood) and online. The city joined the festivities in official fashion, declaring May 17 “Clementine’s Ice Cream Day” in honor of the shop’s 10-year legacy.
While the anniversary marks a major milestone, Keefe’s road to success didn’t follow the usual playbook. A former global brand executive who once ran a $70 million business, Keefe walked away from the corporate world after what she describes as an emotional reckoning. “I was 38, crying over coffee at a girls’ weekend,” she recalled. “Everyone thought I had this glamorous life, but I was miserable. I knew I had to do something different.”
That something turned out to be ice cream. A kid who grew up making ice cream with her family, Keefe poured her savings into launching Clementine’s in 2015. She began making batches in her kitchen, eventually upgrading to a shared city-owned incubator kitchen before landing her first brick-and- mortar spot in Lafayette Square. The lines soon stretched around the block, prompting her to open a second location. “I thought that would shorten the lines,” she laughed. “And so, when we finally got the second one open, we had the same lines and it was kind of at that point, I was like, ‘Oh, I think I have something here’.”
Today, Clementine’s operates nine scoop shops across Missouri and Illinois, with Kansas City and Bentonville expansions on the horizon. The company also ships nationwide through Goldbelly and offers private event ice cream catering. As Missouri’s only microcreamery, Clementine’s churns every batch with hormone- and RBST-free dairy from local, grass-fed cows, achieving a decadent 16-18% butterfat.
The flavors are as imaginative as they are indulgent, earning Keefe the nickname “The Flavor Temptress” and a nod from Oprah, who declared the brand’s Gooey Butter Cake the “sexiest ice cream alive.” From cocktail-inspired scoops to the new Golden Age of Hollywood collection, ice creams inspired by the favorite desserts of old Hollywood stars, Keefe keeps creativity at the core.
At Clementine’s, it’s not just about the scoops; it’s about escape. Keefe and her team carefully choreographed every detail to deliver what she calls a “15-minute vacation” for guests. Think vintage French decor, curated music playlists that shift from day to night and local art woven into the design. “People can’t always describe why they love being here,” she said. “They just know they do.”
The brand draws its name, and much of its spirit, from Clementine, Keefe’s grandmother’s stylish and unforgettable best friend. Known for her sweeping silver hair and trademark red lipstick, Clementine left a stylish legacy that Keefe now carries forward in both look and spirit. “I’ve always said I’d raise a daughter just like her,” Keefe shared. “Clementine’s became that daughter.”
Scaling the business wasn’t without its trials. Keefe self-funded Clementine’s for years, forgoing a paycheck and relying on friends for meals. “I ate Top Ramen for a good two and a half years,” she said. “No one sees those years.”
As Clementine’s enters its second decade, Keefe is laying the groundwork for major growth – franchising, grocery partnerships and a first-time capital raise. For all the expansion and accolades, staying connected to the community that shaped her remains Keefe’s constant.
“We’re part of every neighborhood we’re in,” she explained. “From the chandeliers in Southampton to the local bits in every shop, this is for St. Louis.”
With 98% of leadership positions held by women, Keefe celebrates Clementine’s as a female-driven business. For aspiring women entrepreneurs, Keefe’s advice is clear-eyed: “Know what you’re sacrificing. Everything takes twice as long, and costs twice as much. But if you have that fierce passion, no one can get in your way. Every ‘no’ is just a path to a better ‘yes.'” As Clementine’s looks toward its next chapter, Keefe’s vision is simple: “Clementine’s for all.”
