Asta and Andrius came to America in 2013 with big dreams and baby Dominykas in tow.
Andrius says, “We grabbed it as a golden ticket – a chance to start everything from the ground up and do it our way.” In Lithuania, Asta owned a translation business and Andrius sold cars. Once in the US, together with Andrius’ mother Gitana and stepfather Victor, the little family made a living as caretakers, housekeepers and landscapers. It was in those humble jobs that the foursome started building their future.
Nightly brainstorming sessions often centered around the topic of good coffee shops, or a lack of them, in the area. That ignited the concept of opening a destination coffee shop, a place where people could slow down and savor specialty drinks and pastries. After Asta, Andrius and Gitana attending barista school in New York City, Dom’s Coffee opened in 2015.
The couple’s dreams didn’t stop there.
Asta and Andrius started importing Lithuanian cheese and drove across New England with little Dominykas to connect cheese shops with the flavors of their native land. Three years later, in 2018, Dom’s Cheese opened in a corner of the bustling coffee shop.
The family thrives in the company of community and sought another way for neighbors and families to gather around good food and drink. With a lifelong love of ice cream, regular trips to food shows always included a healthy dose of frozen delights and from that, another business concept was spawned. Just steps away from the coffee and cheese shop, Dom’s Creamery opened in 2022 much to the delight of ice cream lovers everywhere.
Using milk from Amish country in Pennsylvania, the family prides itself in only using the best natural ingredients, flavors and colors. Gitana, Asta and Andrius studied ice cream making at Scoop School in Missouri before opening the shop, spending long and sleepless nights refining and creating flavors until they were confident the community would love it. Some of the varieties incorporate flavors and ingredients from the coffee and cheese shops. Gitana brought her passion for food to both the coffee shop and creamery.
As with Dom’s Coffee, a step inside the creamery reveals a welcoming vibe, where lingering is encouraged. Asta says, “It’s all about the feeling. Slow it down and enjoy the experience.” Their greatest reward is seeing several generations of families settling down to share dessert together. In addition to ice cream, the shop offers 100% all natural beef hotdogs in five varieties: original, New York, Chicago style, chili, and grilled cheese, using raclette cheese from the cheese shop.
Andrius wells with pride when reflecting on the past 10 years.
“We have built a strong bond and learned together from our mistakes and successes. I am proud of the community we surrounded ourselves with. Our first customers are our lifelong friends. They have become family. The Avon community taught and continues to teach us so much.”
