The new Haagen-Dazs is facing some tough competition – from its own brand.

The competition started in early August, when the new Haagen-Dazs opened on 7237 Woodmont Ave., a fifth of a mile away from the original Haagen-Dazs at 7305 Woodmont Ave. The old store, which is open until Halloween, has the two ice cream stores competing against each other for sales.

So far, the original Haagen-Dazs has slightly outsold its replacement, which can be attributed to the different types of customers at each store, said junior Sam Pearl-Schwartz, who works at Haagen-Dazs.

“The people coming out of the movie theater are generally elderly, and all they want is just a kids scoop of ice cream, which is only $3.98,” Pearl-Schwartz said. “In the old store, a lot of the teenagers who are just hanging out in Bethesda stop on a whim and will get something like a Dazzler, which is $7.98.”

Moreover, people are used to going to the old store, and it’s harder to notice the new store because of its alleyway location, said Kee VanEpps, the manager of both stores.

“The old store was in a very visible location. I’d stop by all the time and just decide to buy ice cream,” senior Ketan Jha said. “That probably won’t happen with the new store, since I can’t really see myself passing by every day.”

Still, VanEpps said she expects customers to adapt to the new store eventually, especially since it will offer a greater variety of products, like coffee, espresso and baked goods.

The new Haagen-Dazs also has a larger freezer and more dipping cabinets, enabling it to offer four new flavors of ice cream, including pineapple coconut and chocolate chocolate chip, and hold more of its popular flavors, like dulce de leche.

“Because we have that extra room, we’ve been able to double up on the really popular flavors,” Pearl-Schwartz said. “We don’t have to worry about running out right in the middle of rush hour on a Friday night, so customers don’t need to worry about not having the flavors they want.”

The inside of the new store also presents a different experience from the old store. There are plans to add a couch along the back wall, and the store has already added a mural covering the entire back wall.

Artist Christian Kanienberg painted the mural, which features landmarks from the Bethesda area, like the Bethesda Naval Medical Center and the Glen Echo carousel.

“I have been given a great deal of creative freedom by my client, which has translated into a very original aesthetic that I have not approached quite like this before,” Kanienberg said. “I feel that this work is a cornerstone in my portfolio.”

Even with all of these improvements, there are a few concerns with the new location. In addition to the store’s limited visibility, the new store doesn’t have a patio. While customers are still able to enjoy their ice cream outdoors, bands will likely no longer play outside of the store on weekends.

Peter Beiser (’11), whose Beatles cover band, seltaeB ehT, often played outside of Haagen-Dazs last year, thinks the move could hurt the music scene in Bethesda.

“Considering how easy it was to sign up and play [at the old store], I think the fact that this gig is now gone could discourage local bands,” Beiser said. “I know that whenever we couldn’t find a gig anywhere else, we could always count on a Friday at Haagen-Dazs for some fun. Haagen-Dazs is really losing is a chance to support the musical culture that Bethesda’s local bands have to offer.”

The new store is also fighting the tarnished reputation of the location’s former occupant, Gifford’s Ice Cream.

“A lot of people, especially the elderly who come by after seeing a movie don’t really realize that it’s Haagen-Dazs that’s taken over, so they often bring up the problems that Gifford’s had in the past,” Pearl-Schwartz said.“I don’t know if that actually affects the number of people going there or if that’s just something we’re going to have to deal with, but it’s definitely there.”

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