Candy's Homemade Ice Cream

Candy's Homemade Ice Cream is an independent ice cream shop located at 1085 Pottsville Pike in Shoemakersville, Pennsylvania, in northern Berks County. The business operates as a made on site frozen dessert producer and retail stand, churning its own ice cream in house rather than reselling a wholesale brand. Alongside hand dipped ice cream, the shop produces Italian ice, gelati, ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cakes, and it also provides frozen dessert catering for weddings, parties and other private events in the surrounding region.

The shop takes its name from its owner, Candy, who remains directly involved in daily operations and in developing the flavor lineup. That hands on ownership is a defining characteristic of the business: recipes, flavor experiments and the rotating seasonal offerings are developed in house rather than dictated by a corporate menu, which is why the flavor board tends to include combinations that are not found at chain locations.

Location and Service Area

Shoemakersville sits along Route 61, the main north to south corridor connecting Reading with Hamburg, Pottsville and the Schuylkill County coal region. Pottsville Pike is the local name for that highway, which makes the shop an easy stop for drivers traveling between Reading and points north, as well as for visitors heading toward Blue Marsh Lake, Kaercher Creek Park, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary or the Appalachian Trail crossings north of Hamburg.

The location draws heavily from the immediate communities of Shoemakersville, Leesport, Hamburg, Mohrsville, Perry Township and Centerport, but it also attracts customers from Reading, Wyomissing, Kutztown, Bernville and communities well beyond Berks County. Many visitors treat the shop as a planned destination in itself rather than an incidental stop, building it into a drive or a day trip through the northern part of the county.

Ice Cream Production and Flavors

The core of the business is homemade hard ice cream, produced in small batches on the premises. The menu spans standard flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chocolate chip and cookies and cream, and extends into more inventive territory with candy based mixes, coffee and liqueur inspired profiles, fruit flavors, seasonal specials and combinations built around cookies, cakes and confections. The full lineup is large, and because flavors rotate, the board looks different from one visit to the next.

Portions are hand dipped rather than machine dispensed, and the shop serves ice cream in the usual range of formats:

• Cups and cones in multiple sizes
• Waffle cones, including specialty options such as a pretzel cone
• Sundaes with a selection of toppings, whipped cream and cherries
• Banana splits and similar multi scoop creations
• Milkshakes and blended treats
• Hand packed pints and quarts for taking home

Sampling is part of the ordering process at the counter, which is practical given how many unfamiliar flavors appear on the board at any given time. Staff members are generally able to describe what is in each batch and suggest pairings for two scoop orders.

Italian Ice, Gelati and Other Frozen Desserts

In addition to ice cream, the shop makes Italian ice in a range of fruit and specialty flavors. Italian ice is a dairy free option, which makes it useful for customers avoiding milk, and it is also served as gelati, the layered combination of Italian ice and soft or homemade ice cream that is common throughout eastern Pennsylvania. Tangerine, cherry, lemon, mango and similar fruit flavors typically appear among the offerings, with the selection changing through the season.

The shop runs a regular Italian ice promotion on weekday afternoons, with half price pricing during a set window from Monday through Friday. Customers who stop in during the early afternoon, before the evening rush, often plan around it. Exact hours for the promotion are posted at the shop and announced on its Facebook page, so it is worth confirming before making a special trip.

Other prepared items include homemade ice cream sandwiches and decorated ice cream cakes. Cakes are generally made to order, and customers planning for a birthday, graduation or holiday gathering should call ahead to discuss flavor combinations, sizes and pickup timing.

Catering for Weddings and Events

Candy's Homemade Ice Cream provides on location ice cream service for weddings, receptions, corporate gatherings, school functions, fundraisers and family celebrations. The catering operation brings a selection of homemade flavors to the venue and serves guests directly, which allows hosts to offer a broader flavor choice than a standard dessert course. Because the ice cream is produced in house, event menus can be built around specific flavor requests and the scale of the guest list.

Event bookings are handled directly through the shop. Prospective clients should contact the business well in advance, particularly for peak wedding season dates in late spring, summer and early fall, to confirm availability, discuss flavor selections, serving arrangements and travel to the venue.

Visiting the Shop

The shop is a seasonal style roadside ice cream stand with on site parking and outdoor seating areas typical of Pennsylvania ice cream stands. Evenings and weekends during the warm months are the busiest periods, and lines can form after dinner hours, though they tend to move steadily. Weekday afternoons are generally the quietest time to visit and are also when the Italian ice promotion runs.

Practical details worth noting:

• Address: 1085 Pottsville Pike, Shoemakersville, Pennsylvania 19555
• Telephone: +1 610-562-1620
• Updates, seasonal opening and closing dates, daily flavor announcements and special event notices are posted on the business Facebook page
• The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and the parking lot includes wheelchair accessible parking
• Hours are seasonal, so calling ahead or checking the Facebook page is recommended during the spring opening and late fall closing periods

Placing an Order

Walk up service at the window is the standard method for individual orders. For hand packed containers, ice cream cakes, sandwiches in quantity, or any large order intended for a party or office, calling ahead helps the staff prepare the order and confirm that the requested flavors are in stock. For catering inquiries, a phone call or a message through the shop's Facebook page will start the booking conversation, and it is helpful to have a date, guest count and venue location ready when making contact.