The first day of summer is still about three weeks away, but with temperatures starting to hit 90 degrees in the CSRA, the opening of The Classic Cone ice cream shop is perfect timing.
When Carrie Srnka moved from New York to Aiken in 2016, she knew she would eventually open a soft-serve ice cream business. It took a while because she also owns Wellness Deserved, which offers PEMF, Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy for Humans, Horses, and Pets. For more information, click here.
Another delay came when Srnka was looking for a place to open The Classic Cone.
“I wanted to build a brick and mortar, but the city of Aiken’s commercial property pricing made that impossible. I worked with the SCORE mentoring program and was able to find a great location to park an ice cream trailer at 3189 Whiskey Road in Aiken near JC’s Seafood,” she explained.
The Classic Cone opened May 7 and business has been booming with lines of customers screaming for ice cream cones, sundaes, shakes, and floats…think old-fashioned soda shop.
“Soft serve ice cream was a huge hit in New York but not as popular here. Our customers say ‘This is so different, and we love it. ‘ “
SCORE wasn’t Srnka’s only mentor. She was quick to thank Cindy Rudisill, former owner of Cyndi’s Sweet Shoppe which closed in the fall of 2023.
“Cindy was great to come in and help with inventory. Her years of experience in running her shop was very helpful to me in getting ready to open our door earlier this month.”
What’s next for The Classic Cone?
“I had originally thought about closing in December and January, but customers are begging me not to do that. I am also considering the possibility of having a mobile unit that could accommodate birthday parties and other events. I’ve had several people ask about that.”
The Classic Cone is open Monday through Sunday, 11:00 am until 9:00 pm, and closed on Tuesdays.
Editor’s Note:
Mitzi Oxford is a veteran broadcaster and features writer who also worked at the same television station in Columbus, Georgia as Augusta’s Brad Means! If you have a South Carolina story idea for Mitzi, please email her at mitzioxfordcreative@gmail.com.
