The Back Yard Cow, a new ice cream shop that recently opened in Woolwine, is providing easily accessible ice cream to families and the community.
Wendy Merriman, owner, said she and her family decided to open the eatery because her family enjoys going out to eat ice cream together.
“We just realized there wasn’t any around in this area, so we thought it would be nice to have an ice cream shop in our area,” she said.
As the family talked about how nice it would be to have a local ice cream shop, Merriman said discussion turned from something the family could enjoy to something the community could enjoy with their families.
Merriman said the idea first started during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when she took her children to appointments.
“They were kind of at a distance and we would stop at different little ice cream places that were out of the area. That was the initial, ‘you know, it would be so nice to have something like this at home,’” she said.
After she realized she had space and funds available, Merriam decided to open the ice cream shop.
“It initiated about last March and it’s been a slow-moving process. We’ve just allowed it to move as it would. With different holdups in building materials, different supplies, getting the final approval,” she said.
Since it’s grand opening Labor Day weekend, Merriman said she’s received a lot of community support. “It was great. We sold out of almost everything we had before Sunday. It was wonderful to have people come out and support us,” she said, adding she planned to open on Monday, but was unable due to the lack of ice cream.
Merriman also hopes to use the shop to help and give back to the community. While it is still in the discussion phase, she said she hopes to have designated days during which a portion of the profits are donated to organizations like the local volunteer fire departments, church groups, or parent teacher organizations.
If that idea comes to fruition, “we would have a night or a day where a portion of the profits go to those types of organizations. We’re able to give back to our community in that way,” she said.
Merriman said the shop plans on being open through November with December, but hours are yet to be set.
“There is that possibility of being closed between Thanksgiving and the beginning of March, or we may just do weekends,” she said.
The ice cream shop currently sells 14 different flavors of ice cream, dipped ice cream with cups and cones, sundaes, banana splits, and floats. Merriman said she hopes to also sell milkshakes in the future. There is outdoor seating and games for customers to enjoy.
The Back Yard Cow is open Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays;11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and on Sundays from 2-7 p.m.
For more information, visit Facebook.com/TheBackYardCow.
