The ‘scoop’ on the sweets shop

Be prepared to get the catchiest tunes from the ’60s stuck in your head for days after a visit to downtown Milledgeville’s newest addition. It is hard to miss the sounds of oldies music seeping onto the streets of downtown Milledgeville or the giant jellybean mural of Elvis that has already become a landmark.
Take the imagination on a journey back to childhood and indulge in a variety of wall-to-wall candy selections. Liberate the taste buds with countless combinations of the best flavors ice cream has to offer.
Students all over campus have already become regulars at Scoops Gourmet Coffee & Sweet Treats. The shop opened Feb. 22, and business has not slowed down yet.
Jennifer Myrick is a sophomore and started working at Scoops soon after it opened.
“I come in everyday and just smile,” Myrick said. “I feel like I’ve been working here longer. It’s been busy, but great.”
Busy with customers like junior John Camp who had not heard about the shop prior to his visit. He liked what he saw.
“It was the most colorful place I’ve ever seen. It was at night but I felt like I needed sunglasses,” Camp said. “If you were six, you’d be out of control.”
With an assortment of gourmet coffees, dozens of ice cream flavors and treats galore, Scoops hopes it has what would get anyone’s mouth watering.
“We’ve got the ice cream, and a lot of people get candy,” Myrick said. “It’s been great when people come in and realize how much we have and they can get candy from when they were little.”
Camp was most impressed with the assortment of sweets the shop has to offer.
“They sell candy by the pound,” Camp said. “They’ve got every kind of candy you’ve ever heard of.”
Scoops first opened shop in Madison and next in Covington. Milledgeville is the first franchise that owners Susan Kirk and her husband Jim Kirk have opened.
Keeli Paschal is the manager of the Scoops downtown and has been with the business since it opened
“We are a place that is open for everyone. There’s something for everybody,” Paschal said. “We have 2-year-olds to 90-year-olds coming in.”
Scoops, which makes ice cream its specialty, takes pride in the uniqueness of their business. They have offered a breath of fresh air to downtown and students have taken notice.
“I think we did need it. Look at straight-up ice cream places like Bruster’s. I don’t like it that much,” Camp said. “Probably, I’m going to go (to Scoops) once every 12 days.”
Scoops has the upper-hand on other businesses that specialize in the same trade.
“Susan and her husband came up with all of the (ice cream) recipes,” Paschal said. “There is a place in Atlanta that makes it and they ship it here.”
Though Scoops is proving to be a welcome addition to the downtown scene, its downfall is the college student’s typical budget.
“It’s an amazing place,” senior Cassidy Thigpen said. “It’s a little pricey though, but it’s gourmet. I mean, you wouldn’t go to (a place like) Chop’s expecting it to be cheap.”
Sophomore Seth Womble has been to Scoops once so far. He plans to go back if his finances allow it.
“If I have the money, I’d like to go back,” Womble said. “I like ice cream occasionally. It’s open late too, which is really nice.”
Scoops is open Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m.-10 p.m., Fridays 7 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.-11 p.m., and Sundays from 1-9 p.m. Look for future Scoops opening this spring in Dacula and Locust Grove.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Mar 9 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry