I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, and people have been getting theirs from Waxhaw Creamery since it opened in downtown Waxhaw, some 5 ½ years ago.  For those familiar with its first location, in the building next to the David G. Barnes playground, their expanded flavor offerings and an ever-growing demand routinely resulted in a line that snaked around the outside.  They were literally bursting at the seams, so it was no wonder they relocated to their current home at 109 E Main Street.

For Owner Rich Geist, Waxhaw Creamery is a labor of love, having always had an interest in the ice cream business growing up.  However, the high cost of living of his New Jersey origins made that dream elusive until relocating to the South, where the pace has been a little slower and the opportunities, more plentiful.

Fortunately, business has been going very well for Geist, who has maintained his core values since the very beginning.  “I always felt if we came in and gave a product that was different – a better quality and a fair price – we could get families in,” explained Geist.  “And not just as a Friday night treat, but on a Tuesday afternoon, or a Thursday night.”  Over the years, many have suggested that Geist raise the price, simply because they felt he could, but that’s not been his goal.  “Instead of falling in line with the competition, we’ve stayed our course, and have been pretty happy!”

He’s not the only one, as Waxhaw Creamery continues to be a hit among all demographics in the area. Cookies ‘n cream is their top seller, followed by mint chocolate chip, butter pecan, double dark chocolate and salted caramel to round out their top five.  And it’s their unique take on classic flavors that make the Creamery so special.  For instance, while a typical peanut butter cup flavor adds those candies to a vanilla base, the Creamery adds them to a peanut butter base, maximizing the taste!  Additionally, they changed up their initial kids’ favorite, bubble gum, to cotton candy crunch, which is similarly satisfying, but more favored by parents, uneasy of their young children ingesting chunks of gum.

Meeting the needs and wants of families is the name of the game for Waxhaw Creamery, as they even have a private, party room on-site to host ice cream sundae bars, complete with chalkboard walls for drawing and accompanying coloring sheets to keep little hands busy.  And it’s seeing those little hands grow that is so rewarding for Geist.  Just in the last five years, he’s watched kids that first came in at 10-11 years old, and are now driving!  “We hire a lot of kids for their first job and they kind of grow in front of your eyes.  You watch them become adults and deal with challenges.  It’s more than ice cream, it’s part of life,” says Geist.

That’s a lot of expectation in one little ice cream shop, but Waxhaw Creamery is rising to the challenge, one scoop at a time!