It’s a family affair at the freshly opened ice cream shop in Hallowell.
The ice cream team is made up of father and two adult children, all with backgrounds in nursing. Tom Hanson and his two daughters Brittany and Ashley are completely new to the scooping business. But they saw that the city was lacking this kind of service.
On a busy main drag, sandwiched in between many restaurants and shops, the small, cottagelike building is home to The Local Scoop.
Maybe you’ve walked by the shop and seen the hand-drawn sandwich board, done daily by the family’s artist, Ashley Hanson.
The Hanson’s were drawn to Hallowell because of its vibe.
“We love the area,” said Brittany Hanson. “Its a great town with a community feel.”
“We would always drive by and wonder why the building wasn’t an ice cream shop,” said Brittany. “We thought it was perfect for it. We really wanted to keep the cottage feel to it.”
While they don’t make their own ice cream on-site, the building lacks the space, they do serve Maine-based Gifford’s ice cream and offers a vegan-friendly option from Hood’s Planet Oat brand.
“We keep a limited amount in stock so people can still have ice cream with their family,” said Brittany.
With the closing of Scrummy Afters beloved downtown storefront, The Local Scoop is in talks with the company to get some of their sweets as toppings for the ice cream creations.
The Local Scoop maintains an eco-friendly and welcoming business model — using wooden spoons, compostable bowls and two-fold homemade waffle cones to cut down on waste and keep those big artisan creations from falling out.
To keep it local, the Hanson’s have hired a few teenagers from the area to serve up treats, and look forward to getting to know their customers.
Two kid’s size scoops and a single scoop in compostable bowls at The Local Scoop Friday in Hallowell. Amber Carter/Kennebec Journal
If you’re looking for some summer fun, keep an eye on their Facebook page, because they have some family-friendly events planned.
On the schedule is a fairy night. Customers who dress as their favorite fairy will get $1 off their order. And a “Step Brothers” night, themed around the popular Will Ferrell film, where customers can come and vote for their favorite step brother, Brennan or Dale.
Also on tap is a teen night where local teens can meet for a treat, listen to music and hang out.
Word on the Street is an online-only feature about quirky happenings in central Maine.
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