SOUTHBRIDGE
What better way to spend a hot summer afternoon than to enjoy a cone of cookies'n'cream ice cream?

Those who might have a better answer probably haven't yet been to Aoífe's Ices, in the rear of the Flat Iron Building on Hamilton Street.

The small ice cream shop quietly opened Sunday without any fanfare, advertisements, or even signage, but word of mouth has already led to several regular customers in the business' first week of operation.

Aoífe McCarthy, 17, manages the store with assistance from friends and brother Johnny McCarthy. Her father, Gabriel McCarthy, owns the Flat Iron Building. The Ireland native owns several buildings in Southbridge that have been renovated and restored, including the Vienna, on the corner of Main and South streets.

Aoífe, who cooks at Vienna two nights a week, said she has always been interested in the food business and calls the restaurant¹s owners, Jonathan and Lisa Krach, her 'mentors'.

"I really like cooking and preparing ice cream and desserts," she said.

Now she hopes her business will do as well as the Krachs', and if the early sales are any indication, Aoife's Ices just may blossom.

"Without advertisements, without signage we've been doing fantastic," McCarthy said, adorned in a pink apron with the shop's name stitched across it.

"We've had a lot of people already."...

...The recent Woodstock Academy graduate, who will be studying music at the University of Connecticut this fall, said ‘word of mouth’ of the tasty ice cream and desserts has been instrumental to their early success.

 “She's doing well,” said her father, who designed much of the interior of the shop. “She's very happy with the turnout.” 

 ‘We try to offer things that are different from other ice cream stores,” McCarthy

said.

She added that food would likely be added to the menu at some point

next year, and musical artists may perform some nights in the near future.

 

Currently slated to be open on a seasonal basis, Aoífe's Ice Cream,

located in the back of the Flat Iron Building on Hamilton Street, is open

daily from noon to 9 p.m. and offers both indoor and outdoor seating.

Shaun Moriarty can be reached at (508) 909-4142, or by e-mail at

smoriarty@stonebridgepress.com.