Old fashioned, swirled with chocolate, scooped on a waffle cone or sitting on a banana boat, ice cream is summer’s most delicious pastime, especially when the area’s independently owned shops around Lorain County become the melting spots for family desserts, first dates and friend meetups.

Scoops & More Ice Cream,
Elyria

In its 20th year of operation, Scoops & More Ice Cream has a devoted following of families who have supported the business through multi-generational ownership.

“We wouldn’t be here without community support, and we appreciate our customers greatly,” says Alexis Susak, owner of Scoops & More Ice Cream. “A lot of our staff are family or family friends and it’s been that way since I was a kid when my grandparents owned it.”

Scoops & More features Toft’s ice cream from Ohio’s oldest dairy offering more than 40 hard scoop flavors and other favorites such as shakes, sundaes and tornados (vanilla ice cream with mix-ins such as cookies, brownies or candy).

“New this year is our Taste the Scoop, which is a flight of four different hard scoop ice creams so you can try a variety or even share,” Susak says. “We’re often very busy during the season but we try to keep the vibe light and the atmosphere fun. Whenever a guest tips, we always yell ‘Woohoo!’ as a token of appreciation.”

528 W. River Road N, Elyria, 2-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, Noon-10 p.m. Saturday and 2-9 p.m. Sunday

 

The Village Coffee & Creamery,
Grafton

With its custom handmade tables and antique pieces of furniture, a stop into The Village Coffee & Creamery is a cozy coffeehouse atmosphere reminiscent of the '90s and early 2000s.

“We own Nancy’s Main Street Diner and in 2021 we purchased the Village Coffee & Creamery so that Grafton could still retain a local ice cream place,” says owner Denise Worthy.

“We definitely do much more than ice cream, including smashburgers, breakfast and brunch sandwiches, onion rings, iced coffee, lattes, energy drinks, popping boba lemonades and more,” she says. “Our ice cream comes from the company Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream and they’ve been around since the ’60s out of Wisconsin. That means our ice cream is made with Wisconsin dairy and sugar and no high fructose corn syrup, which equals richer ice cream, premium quality and better flavor.” 

486 Main St., Grafton, 6:45 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday

 

Sundae Cafe, Wellington

A rustic and inviting ice cream shop situated in historic downtown Wellington, Sundae Cafe opened in June 2024 to fill a frozen treat gap in the community, says Tiffany Warner, who co-owns the concept with her sister Darla Metz. The pair also owns Donny’s, a family friendly sports-themed spot that’s only a street away. 

Like an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, Sundae Cafe has more than 40 seats where guests can enjoy one of more than eight sundaes and 22 different ice cream flavors, including lactose-free options — all from Chocolate Shoppe, a super-premium ice cream maker out of Wisconsin. 

“Our customers can create their own sundaes and shakes with any ice cream or sauces they want,” Warner says. Its best-selling flavors include Zanzibar Chocolate, Exhausted Parent (a bourbon-spiked espresso), Fat Elvis (banana ice cream with peanut butter and chocolate chips), and This $&@! Just Got Serious (salted caramel with sea salt fudge and salted cashews). “We are always switching up the flavors throughout the summer to keep it interesting and fun.”

In addition to traditional frozen delights, Sundae Cafe also has shaved ice, dirty sodas and ice cream nachos, which is ice cream served with waffle cone chips. It will soon start selling birthday cakes and has recently bought an ice cream trailer to offer mobile treats. 

113 East Herrick, Wellington, Summer hours: Noon-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, Noon-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Noon - 8 p.m. Sunday