The story below is from our November/December 2022 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!
Local ice cream shops are expanding their locations, menu options and ingredients for a variety of flavors and experiences.
Virginia’s Blue Ridge sure does scream for ice cream, or so it seems, with the arrival of several new businesses and entrepreneurs serving up this frozen dessert in the past year.
From classic brands to non-dairy versions, the following shops are scooping up their spots in the local land of ice cream.
Who Needs Cow’s Milk?
Quincy Randolph and Nate Sloan each had budding new businesses on Main Street in Roanoke’s Wasena district. But several years ago, when a storefront in the neighborhood became available for rent, the entrepreneurial wheels started turning.
Unknowingly, Randolph, who owns Roasters Next Door Coffee Lounge, and Sloan, owner and chef of Bloom, a small plates and libations restaurant, each had their eyes on the space at 1116 Main St. And they weren’t thinking of it initially as an ice cream enterprise. That changed once they started brainstorming together.
“We felt that ice cream would be good to have in the neighborhood,” Randolph says.
But not just any ice cream.Through their other food businesses, “we saw how many non-dairy requests we were getting,” Randoph said. “Less butter on dishes, and I was processing how many oat milk and almond milk lattes we were selling.”
That’s when their newest venture, Crème Fresh, a non-dairy ice cream shop, was born. Randolph and Sloan spent about a year creating and testing their own version of non-dairy ice cream before opening the shop in August 2021.
Courtesy of Crème Fresh
Nate Sloan (left) and Quincy Randolph opened Crème Fresh, a non-dairy ice cream shop, in 2021.
Their primary goal was developing an ice cream that all customers enjoy, whether someone prefers the non-dairy or dairy versions. Both Randolph and Sloan had experience making traditional ice cream at other food establishments. Using oat milk and coconut milk, they analyzed different textures of ice cream to find the perfect formula.
They also allowed people to taste test the products before opening Crème Fresh to the public.
“We just kind of trusted our chef instincts,” says Randolph, who moved to Roanoke from Chicago, where he had worked as a chef at a fine dining establishment. He moved to Roanoke to open Roasters Next Door with his brother.
There are seven ice cream flavors and two sorbets on the menu at Crème Fresh, and the offerings change often, at times based on the season. A chocolate flavor, such as chocolate brownie or dark chocolate coffee (made from RND coffee), always is on the menu.
Randolph, who appeared in a Food Network cooking competition in September, handles much of the shop’s day-to-day work, while Sloan works behind the scenes.
For both entrepreneurs, it’s been a challenge to balance operating multiple restaurant concepts. RND opened a Vinton location in 2021.
“We are both learning what it’s like to be business owners with multiple brands and identities under our belts,” Randolph says. “We want to continue to adapt and serve the people of the Wasena community and become a fantastic neighborhood coffee shop first.”
Bringing Back Main Street
The classic downtown main street scene, with soda fountains and old fashioned drugstores, has not lost its allure, at least not for Tom and Michelle Raub.
In fact, the couple’s ice cream, candy and gift shop enterprise is built on this theme. The Raubs opened Sugar Magnolia last year in Roanoke at Townside Festival Shopping Center on Franklin Road.
White-and-green striped window and door awnings adorn the outside of the shop, giving it an old-fashioned look. Inside the wide shop, it is the same aura, with green-and-white striped walls and a long candy and ice cream counter, along with gifts and knickknack displays scattered strategically around the store.
“It’s small town America in the ‘50s,” says Tom Raub, who grew up in Bluefield, West Virginia. “The general store and the soda fountain was the center of the universe for that town.”
The Raubs first opened Sugar Magnolia in downtown Blacksburg after moving there from South Carolina to be closer to Tom’s family in Bluefield. Initially, they opened a gift shop, called T.R. Collection on Main Street in Blacksburg.
Courtesy of Sugar Magnolia
Ice cream flights are popular at Sugar Magnolia.
But they decided to expand into the ice cream business when Downtown Blacksburg Inc. merchants’ association conducted focus groups to ask residents about the kinds of retail establishments they wanted in downtown. Ice cream was number one on the list, across all age groups, says Raub.
The Raubs initially operated both the ice cream and gift shop in Blacksburg, but they merged them together in 2020.
They started the business selling Homestead Creamery ice cream, but after some supplier difficulties during the pandemic, the Raubs switched to the Ashby’s Sterling brand. It’s a family-owned Michigan company that makes at least 70 ice cream flavors and sells it to shops.
The Raubs took the same Sugar Magnolia concept to Roanoke, where they now reside. They operate both stores, which have different customer bases. The Blacksburg store attracts largely the Virginia Tech community, while the Roanoke store draws from a larger market and has a neighborhood focus.
As for ice cream concoctions, the Raubs have cooked up some interesting creations. Along with the typical cones and milkshakes, customers can order ice cream flights, ice cream nachos, made with waffle chips, and a sundae bar to-go, a pandemic era menu item that remains popular.
“We find the best stuff out there. We make and create the experience, that’s where our expertise is,” says Tom, who explained that the store is named for his favorite Grateful Dead song, “Sugar Magnolia.” “I’m not an expert ice cream maker. We create the experience by merging all of these things together into one cohesive experience.”
Stick with What Works
Two new ice cream entrepreneurs have acquired a popular Roanoke shop — and for now, the menu and shop’s old-fashioned feel remains the same.
Jennifer and Steven Morris are the new owners of Pop’s Ice Cream and Soda Bar, a popular neighborhood shop with a 1936 soda fountain and classic parlor vibe on Memorial Avenue in Roanoke’s Grandin Village.
The former Pop’s owners, Brandon Davis and Anna Robertson, who opened Pop’s in 2006, decided it was time to move on, and they approached the Morrises about buying the business.
The Morrises both have worked in the restaurant industry, but they never owned an ice cream business.
Still, “we thought it was a good move for us,” says Jennifer Morris.
Living in the Grandin Village, Jennifer and Steven Morris, along with their four children, have been regular Pop’s customers.
“We love the place,” says Jennifer.
The Morrises took over the business in June. Right now, they are sticking with serving only Mayfield Dairy and Ashby’s Sterling brands of ice cream, specialty grilled cheese sandwiches, soups, ice cream sodas and other sweet treats.
The Morrises also are making plans to bring back Pop’s popular game nights, a rock-paper-scissors competition and more community events that stopped during the pandemic.
As for the four Morris children, they are loving time spent at Pop’s, even more since their parents took over.
“They are blown away that mommy and daddy have an ice cream shop!” says Jennifer.
More Ice Cream Fun
Whether you’re headed downtown or would rather venture into Roanoke County, Salem or Franklin County, there is always room for your favorite flavors. (We’re going to need a bigger bowl. Or stomach. Whatever, we’ll always eat ice cream!)
Blue Cow Ice Cream
This well-known shop has celebrated recent expansions into Virginia Beach, Fredericksburg and Richmond, where guests line up for beloved favorites like Goat Cheese with Blueberry Swirl, Sea Salt Brickle with Caramel Swirl, Triple Berry Crisp, Banana Puddin’ and several more. Be sure to learn more about Blue Cow Ice Cream and their platinum win for “Best Ice Cream” in the 2023 Reader Dining Awards in our interview with owner Carolyn Kiser on page 30 in our 2023 Dining Guide.
1115 Piedmont St. SE
Roanoke, VA 24014
(540) 400-8558
Sunday-Thursday: 12pm-9pm
Friday & Saturday: 12pm-10pm
Katie’s Ice Cream & Chocolates
With 45 ice cream flavors, Italian ices, Yo Cream low-fat and fat-free yogurt, smoothies, milkshakes and sundaes, combined with tons of your favorite toppings, Katie’s Ice Cream & Chocolates has been a favorite Roanoke County staple for years. Don’t forget to stock up on chocolates from their case on your next visit and maybe pick up a gift or two of Beanie Babies for the kids!
3530 Electric Rd
Roanoke, VA 24018
(540) 776-9854
Open daily: 12pm-10pm
Homestead Creamery
We know you know this one! The beloved Homestead Creamery, Inc. gets their farm-fresh dairy from happy cows in Franklin County thanks to a network of locally owned dairy farms, and all ice cream is churned on site. While you can pick up your pints (and milk and more) at local grocers, you have to stop in at the Homestead Creamery Farm Market for your favorites or special seasonal flavors. Build a sundae, make a milkshake or stick it on a waffle cone to enjoy local dairy at its best.
7254 Booker T Washington Hwy
Wirtz, VA 24184
(540) 721-2045
Monday-Thursday: 11am-6pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am-7pm
Salem Ice Cream Parlor
Owner Joe McNamara and his family have been in the ice cream business for almost three decades and we hope each day only gets sweeter! This family-friendly Salem spot is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor complete with friendly staff and a variety of Hershey’s ice cream flavors. Top it on a cone, split a sundae or get it to go in a tasty milkshake. Seasonal flavors will have you craving ice cream all year long!
404 W Main St
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 389-2373
Monday-Saturday: 11am-10pm
Sunday: 12pm-10pm
The story below is from our November/December 2022 issue. For more stories like it, Subscribe Today. Thank you!