SIDNEY — It’s a day Kim Curlis has been looking forward to for months.
K & J’s Ice Cream will officially be open for business Saturday, April 14. And Curlis is hoping it’s a “moooving” experience for everyone.
“We have a cow theme for our menu,” said Curlis. The windows are decorated with cow-covered fabric, whole a large cow stature stands watch as customers come and go.
The store will open its doors Saturday at 11 a.m. for its first customers. From 2 to 6 p.m. Molly the Moo Cow, who is the store’s mascot, will visit with children and adults while they enjoy their ice cream. Parents will be able to take photos of their child/children with Molly, said Curlis.
Leading up to the grand opening — and through Sunday — patrons will be able to compete in a Name the Cow contest. The winner will receive a pair of tickets to the Dayton Dragons.
“We have a cow statue in the store,” said Curlis. “My Smith/Turner/Horn family members gave it to me.”
Curlis said she was looking for a stature for the store but couldn’t find anything large enough to fill the space in the store where she wanted to place it.
“I could only find little statues,” she said. “I told my cousin, who goes to auctions, if she found one to buy it and I’d pay her back. I never heard from her” so she thought there wouldn’t be a cow in place for the grand opening.
“She came here to put up the curtains and she told me I had to go into the back (of the store) for five minutes,” said Curlis.
When she returned to the front of the store, the cow statue had been brought in and gifted to Curlis.
Patrons will be able to vote on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/kjicecream/ — and at the store through Sunday for the name of the cow. The winning name will be posted on Facebook.
“I’m going to put a name tag on it that says ‘Name” the cow was named by and the person’s name,” said Curlis.
Curlis said her son, James, is managing the Facebook and marketing end of the business. He’s majoring in business at Wright State University.
“He did a final four poll of ice cream flavors on Facebook,” she said.
The store’s menu includes 22 premium hand dipped ice cream flavors, moo-milk shakes, a Sidney Bee-nana split, root beer floats, slushies, slush freezes, sandwiches — hot dogs, coney dogs and shredded chicken — along with soft serve ice cream, water, Coca-Cola products and coffee.
Curlis said they are purchasing their hand dipped ice cream from Chocolate Shop Ice Cream Co. in Madison, Wisconsin.
“They only serve ice cream to ice cream shops,” said Curlis. “They don’t sell to grocery stores, so if you want to buy the ice cream, you’ll have to come here.”
The ice cream has 14 percent butter fat in it and less overrun (with air), which makes it creamy and rich, said Curlis.
“The hand dipped is so good, so rich and so filling,” said Debbie Smith, Curlis’ mom. Smith is one of 14 employees at the store.
Patrons will be able to “sample” a flavor so they can decide which one they want to buy.
And as an added surprise, those purchasing ice cream in a cup will be treated to a color changing spoon as they dip it into the bowl.
The stores hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1 to 9 p.m. on Sunday. On Easter Sunday, April 21, the store will be open from 2 to 9 p.m.
“We’ve been told that people want a good cup of coffee and a hot fudge sundae,” said Curlis. “We’re here to give them both.”
Curlis said an outdoor dining area is in the works. The business also features a drive-thru window.
The business is owned by Curlis and her husband, Bob, former owners of the Medicine Shoppe/Hometown Pharmacy. The ice cream shop is located at 130 W. Russell Road.
Curlis said the company has 100 flavors of ice cream and she selected 22 to start out with on opening day.
“There are so many so we may cycle them in and out,” said Curlis.Each ice cream is displayed with a description of it and what special ingredients are included.
