Ice Cream Shops & How We Love Them

Food

Jun 5

Ice Cream Shops & How We Love Them

BY RENÉE SANDE

“It’s a lifestyle” says one of the stickers Jennifer Davis sells at her ice cream shop, The Scoop.

It sure is. And what a lovely one at that.

It’s the leisurely after-dinner-walk to get ice cream, the meeting of friends to celebrate a birthday or the picking up a pint when it’s been a long day all week. It’s the first date, the stop after a long day on the lake, the excitement of choosing a new flavor and the race to lick the drips before it melts. Yes, ice cream’s ability to help us create memories, induce joy and be that cathartic companion is a lifestyle that’s fun, fulfilling and momentous in an absolutely wonderful, whimsical way. Let’s meet some of the local purveyors of this lifestyle — who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favorite spot.

Doyle’s Ice Cream Parlor

If you’re looking for the good old-fashioned ice cream experience, stop by this legend of a parlor that's held up the corner of Boone Avenue and Nettleton Street just 15 years short of a century. The corner shop has changed owners over the years, but Chris Dalke, who took over from his uncle, Jerry Gill, in 2018, has made sure that’s about the only thing that’s changed — and that’s why people love it.

Take a step back in time with the Awful-Awful, their take on a vertical banana split; or a Black and White, with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, marshmallow topping, whipped cream and a cherry. You can even sip on a scratch-made Phosphate from Spokane’s last vintage soda fountain — but if you’re just craving a scoop, be sure to try it in one of their homemade waffle cones.

When you stop by, be sure to take in the walls of the shop, which are lined with vintage toys and memorabilia collected by Dalke’s uncle and grandmother. If you’re looking for a cold treat with a side of heart-warming community nostalgia, it doesn’t get any better.

2229 W. Boone Ave., Spokane

High Voltage Ice Creamery

If the name doesn’t cue you to the vibe this ice creamery screams, maybe the logo of a skeleton head with a cone on his noggin will. Owner Gage Lang’s self-described “punk rock tattoo parlor vibe” definitely sets his ice creameries apart from the rest.

With 16 small-batch flavors on hand and rotating weekly specials, pop culture takes center stage with themes like cold cereal favorites (Cinnamon Toast Crunch) and Girl Scout cookies (Samoa and Do-Si-Do). Long-standing crowd-pleasers are the stars, like Banana Wafer — a marshmallow, banana-based ice cream with vanilla wafers — and Hollywood Diet, featuring Lang’s cookie of the same name (from his first business, Breaüxdoo Bakery) amidst peanut butter ice cream, chocolate ganache and Butterfinger candy bar.

Live the rockstar lifestyle, ice-cream lovin’ fans, and indulge like you mean it.

11420 E. Sprague Ave (inside Market Street Pizza), Spokane Valley
9021 N. Indian Trail Rd., North Spokane

Sweet Annie’s

Coming from working as a graphic designer in New York for 10 years, Sweet Annie’s brave entrepreneur, Annie Davis, felt the PNW calling her home again with the dream of creating memories and bringing joy to people. What better way to do that than with her creative and intricate ice cream flavors?

“I get a lot of inspiration from cocktails, the interesting flavor combinations or seeing what’s cool and fresh at the farmers markets,” Davis says.

This overachiever has done just that with the hands-down fan favorite Bee’s Knees ice cream alone. The butter-flavored ice cream with swirls of local honey and homemade honeycomb candy could carry the store on its own, but along for the ride are other amazing flavors such as Bourbon Bananas Foster and the kid-favorite Strawberry Bubble Gum. Can’t decide? Order a “Flavor Flight.”

Need your monthly fix? Join the Glee Club for two pints and two single scoop vouchers each month. Happiness guaranteed.

www.anniesicecreams.com
1948 N. Harvest Parkway, Liberty Lake

The Scoop

“When you’re happy, when you’re sad or mad — ice cream works for everything.”

After buying the South Hill neighborhood shop in 2011, even though owner Jennifer Davis “wasn’t an ice-cream person,” the foodie found she was really good at creating award-winning flavors. The results of her efforts can be found in the famed Banoffee Pie, with banana, coffee bits and cookie butter and the Cheese Plate, with apricot ice cream with goat cheese, dried apricots, apricot jam and salty cashews.

If you’re grabbing your ice cream from the hidden South Hill neighborhood gem, take a short walk along High Drive and enjoy your sweet treat with a view of the city. For those in Kendall Yards, a quick walk across the street leads you to the Centennial Trail, where you can go for a stroll while taking in views of the Spokane River.

www.thescoopspokane.com
1001 W. 25th Ave., South Hill
1238 W. Summit Parkway, Kendall Yards

Pete and Belle’s Ice Cream Shop

“Want nutrition? Eat carrots,” say local owners Aaron and Rachelle Blackmer (with a wink) when asked about their ice cream’s nutritional content. However, they will also tell you that it’s made from “gobs of rich Wisconsin cream and tons of real ingredients.”

Since 2013, this sweet shop has proudly served 48 flavors daily (rotated in from 130); if need be, you just possibly could sample every one of them (but don’t) as their ice cream scoopers are that friendly. There’s the kid-favorite, Superman — a legendary mix of their cherry, Blue Moon and vanilla ice creams; the parent-favorite, Exhausted Parent — a bourbon-spiked espresso ice cream with chocolate chunks; and the favorite-of-many, This $&@! Just Got Serious — an award-winning salted caramel ice cream featuring sea salt fudge and cashews. With two Valley locations, whether morning or late night, it’s the perfect stop if you’re jonesin’ for a frozen treat.

petebelles.com
1330 N. Argonne Suite C, Spokane Valley
14700 E. Indiana Ave., Spokane Valley Mall

Panhandle Cone and Coffee

“The fun thing is when we find something local, to try to figure out how to use it,” says co-owner Jason Dillon.

He and wife, Stephanie, love to use ingredients from farmers and other small business owners in the communities in which they’ve nestled their shops.

In 2015, the couple decided to pivot from ministry in Oregon to peddling perfectly divine ice cream and espresso in Sandpoint, Idaho, before opening shops in Coeur d’Alene and Moscow. While six new flavors make their debut four times each year, there are, of course, the long-standing favorites, such as Salted Caramel & Brown Butter Cookie, Bourbon and Honeycomb, Buttermilk Huckleberry and the Peach Mango Habanero. There’s also the chance to bring back past favorites during their “Back from the Vault” series — follow on Instagram and Facebook to keep in the know.

With two of their locations conveniently situated near the lake, Panhandle Cone and Coffee is the perfect spot for a post-lake day treat.

https://www.coneandcoffee.com/
216 N. First Ave., Sandpoint
849 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene
511 S. Main St., Moscow

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