Icescreams is a new, sweet destination, sprinkled with an otherworldly charm

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Icescreams. With a few gallons of fluorescent pink paint, a playful name and some youthful bravery, a young couple have turned two old refrigerated cargo containers into one of the most fun destination ice cream stands in the region.

Though it's a bit out of the way, Josh Sedore and Merina Fumasoli are pulling folks off the main path to 669 County Route 2 in Elizaville, New York, not just for the traditional ice cream stand fare and standout shakes but for the vibrant party atmosphere.

The two electric-pink containers that make up the Icescreams stand connect at a 90-degree angle, framing half of the gravel courtyard, which is decorated with picnic tables, Christmas lights, and the thick surrounding forest. The setting imparts a surreal, dreamlike sensation only enhanced by the sugar rush of an ice cream treat, or a burger and a plate of french fries, which you can get covered in chocolate and ice cream and sprinkles if you want. It sounds a little crazy, but it’s also comfortable, welcoming and nostalgic in a sense memory kind of way.

Icescreams feels so fresh in large part because its founders are as well. Sedore and Fumasoli are just 21 and 22, respectively, and actually started the business two years ago in a small shack on the property owned by Fumasoli’s father. She had always wanted to do something with the shed (besides painting it pink), and ice cream seemed like a good first entrepreneurial endeavor.

“We always said if we were going to start a business, whatever it was, we were going to give it our all,” said Sedore. “This is a really fun business and you really get a taste for it.”

The couple met at Dutchess Community College before matriculating at Binghamton University together. Between semesters they decided to take an earnest crack at starting their own business. The second season they expanded into the first old container. It was crazy and difficult but a useful learning experience. Along with the memorable name, Icescreams’ shakes drew people in from miles around. Some nights customers had to wait for hours to get cup or cone. It was nice to feel wanted, but it wasn’t sustainable.

“The whole thing collapsed in on itself,” said Sedore. “People were driving from far away to wait three hours!”

They learned and they grew and this summer they added a second container and made the business better than ever (all while still going to school, mind you). They’ve got a dependable staff of friends and local kids and are even nearing completion on a drive through.

The menu is straightforward and reliable. It’s got what you’re looking for with few frills.

“We keep the menu big and for us, we are always working on ways to improve quality,” said Sedore, who’s more humble than he should be. “The one thing we can say with confidence that we do better than anyone else is our shakes.”

Now and forever, it’s all about the shakes… and of course the atmosphere. It’s a great place to bring kids, there’s music playing, everyone’s happy and on top of that it feels like you’re inside an accidental modern art sculpture.

This summer, don’t resist the siren call of the Icescreams.

Icescreams
669 County Rte 2, Elizaville, NY 
(845) 516-1242
Monday through Saturday 4-9: 30 p.m., Sunday 3-9 p.m.