Residents flock to 103-year-old ice cream shop to beat the heat

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — In the middle of the heatwave, some residents are flocking to Simmons Homemade Ice Cream Store for a cold treat. The 103-year-old shop, located near Hampstead in Carroll County, is steeped with tradition.

Owners Jean and Carroll Neudecker have been dishing up their homemade ice cream for the last few decades, carrying on a family tradition. The shop, which first started as a general store selling all kinds of items, was started by Jean’s grandmother back in the 1923. She said her grandmother had shared her ice cream with friends and was encouraged to sell it.

“And as time went on, you know, that’s what happened. They moved out here and they bought this out, built this store on, and she started making ice cream,” Jean said.

“I just thank God that has given me the opportunity to do this,” Jean added.

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Now, the ice cream shop has become a fixture in the community, with generations of residents enjoying the handmade ice cream. The family recipe has been untouched.

“Always a good way to beat the heat when you have something cold,” one customer said Thursday.

The store is filled with history, antiques, and mementos mounted on the wall. The store with it’s old-time charm has no air conditioning, is cash only and takes you back to the simpler times.

“Literally my whole family has been coming here since we were young, since they were young too. So, its kind of like been in the family,” one woman said.

“It’s literally just how close knit it is, it brings the community together,” she added.