The BG News

This summer ice cream sellers in Bowling Green have been noticing an increase in sales compared to years past. While owners of local ice cream shops refused to discuss profits and sales numbers, they did agree that this summer has been good for business.

“It’s been a fantastic year,” Meredith Myles said, owner of the Dairy Queen located at 434 E. Wooster St. “I don’t know if the weather has been just right, or what.”

Beyond 2000 Ice Cream manager Jeremy Hodgkins agrees. “This has been an ice cream summer,” said Hodgkins. “It’s been a good summer, there have been lots of sunny days.”

This local trend corresponds with expectations that national sales will increase from years past. According to the July issue of Restaurant Hospitality, dessert sales in 2000 totaled $2.3 billion, which was a 4-percent increase from 1999.

Beyond 2000 Ice Cream, 133 S. Main St., has averaged almost 100 gallons of ice cream a week this summer in orders and has been tripling its business at nightfall.

“Evenings are usually the busiest, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. is our peak time,” Hodgkins said.

According to Myles, 60-65 percent of his weekend business comes from evening sales as well.

“On Saturday and Sunday it takes off around 3 p.m., sometimes 4 p.m.,” said Myles, who explained that during the week business is day to day, he believes that this year’s success is nothing special. “I’ve been here 31 years and all have been a little bit different.” Beyond 2000 Ice Cream, which is in its third year of operation, is recent to Bowling Green compared to Dairy Queen, which according to Myles is one of the oldest in the nation, dating back to the 1940’s.

The store has the traditional Dairy Queen treats like shakes, malts and sodas as well as over 22 different sundaes plus the Blizzard, peanut buster parfaits and cones. Myles claims that the Blizzard is his store’s number one seller. “For every cone that goes out there are five Blizzard’s,” he said.

Beyond 2000 Ice Cream offers 32 flavors of ice cream as well as various shakes, malts and sundaes.

With such a variety to choose from, screaming for ice cream is a delight for Bowling Green residents.

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