FORTVILLE — Ice cream returned to downtown Fortville right in time for summer.
Libby’s Ice Cream & Gifts at 11 S. Main St. is open six days a week. Owner Libby Wyatt added the new operation to the same spot she operated StoreHouse out of for the past three years. She’s kept StoreHouse’s home decor, gifts and other goods; added cool dairy treats and changed the name on the sign outside.
Indulge, a former ice cream shop across the street from Libby’s, closed last September. Wyatt said after it shuttered, she’d often notice people park outside only to be disappointed by the dessert desertion. That’s not the experience she wants people to have when visiting downtown Fortville, she said.
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“I just saw a demand, so I thought I would take it,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt removed an interior wall of windows and doors that accented StoreHouse to make room for the counter and cabinet filled with 12 flavors of Indianapolis-based Sundae’s Homemade Ice Cream.
Behind the ice cream case’s glass are staples like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, cookie dough, chocolate chip and mint chocolate chip. Other flavors include raspberry sorbet, caramel turtle fudge, graham central station, pralines and cream, coffee toffee and raspberry rumble.
Wyatt said she plans to rotate flavors regularly.
Customers can order it in cups and cones or get a flight of assorted flavors in smaller glasses. Patrons can also take ice cream home by the pint or quart. Libby’s menu offers cookie ice cream sandwiches, sundaes, milkshakes and root beer floats as well.
Wyatt hired six employees and figures she’ll likely need more.
Fellow Fortville business owner Sheri Jones of Studio 309 painted an ice cream-inspired mural on one of the interior walls.
Wyatt said she enjoys the walkability of having a downtown business. She likes to imagine area families heading out for a stroll to grab some ice cream and see what else the district has to offer, just like her family does.
Sandy Plank of McCordsville brought her grandchildren to Libby’s Ice Cream & Gifts on a rare sunny June afternoon to take a break from working on 4-H projects.
“We decided to get some ice cream energy, right?” Mikala Gillespie asked her younger cousins.
Plank and Conner Bonisa ordered vanilla, while Mikala got chocolate chip and Josie Bonisa had mint chocolate chip.
“It was delicious,” Conner said.
Mike and Mary Noe stopped by as well to try the raspberry sorbet. Mary said they wanted to come out to support their friend’s business, adding they got to know Wyatt as customers of StoreHouse.
“Plus we like ice cream,” Mike added with a laugh. “That’s the main reason.”
