The dynamic duo at the helm of Coldwater Ice Cream aren't afraid to try new things. They have been partnering with local farmers and other businesses to create some unique and interesting flavours that people seem to love.
Georgann and Colin Gilchrist purchased the business one year ago from former owners, Joel and Lee Reese.
"We were customers for a long time," Georgann explained. "We came in one day with our two kids, we saw the for-sale sign in the window, and we thought it would be a great idea."
Georgann, who came from a marketing business, and Colin, who still works as a paramedic, were excited about taking over a staple of the Coldwater community.
"We would come in here at least a couple of times each month," Colin said. "The numbers made sense when we looked into it, so we put in an offer."
Colin, 42, grew up in Marchmont and has lived in the Coldwater area his whole life. He says he always loved the ice cream shop because of its old-style theme.
"It's a classic ice cream shop that has a dining option as well," he said. "We also bought it just because I really love ice cream."
Georgann, 44, says she and her husband have become "super passionate" about the ice cream business. They took the ice cream technology course at Guelph University and are attending the National Ice Cream Retailers Association conference in Las Vegas next month.
"We are definitely having fun," she said.
While the ice cream shop carries Kawartha Dairy and Central Smith Creamery products, Georgann and Colin are the first owners of the store to make their own ice cream.
"It's very popular," Georgann said. "We've had lineups for our ice cream."
One of the first original flavours made by the Gilchrist's was a cream egg flavour for the Easter season.
Colin says he didn't consider himself a creative person before taking over the ice cream store. Now he is always looking to team up with local farmers and businesses to create different flavours, one of them being Quayle's Brewery to make different flavours that mimic their craft beer.
"We get one of their darker ales or stouts and reduce it to burn off the alcohol and then we will make an ice cream out of it," Colin explained. "Those have been pretty popular."
The Gilchrist's have teamed with Copperpot Nuts, Em's Cafe, Johnstone's Sweet Corn, Backwoods Maple Syrup, Ego's Farm Market, and Chelsea's Chocolates to create local flavours of ice cream.
More recently the married couple has teamed with a local farmer who makes fermented garlic.
"He joked that we should make ice cream with his garlic,'" Colin said. "I said if you bring it in, I'll make some ice cream with it, and that's what we did."
Colin says everyone who has tried the unique flavour has been pleasantly surprised.
"A few people were cautious about trying it and a few people didn't really like it," he said. "Everybody thought it was better than they were expecting and it's a good conversation starter."
One day, the Gilchrist's would like to be able to establish their own brand of ice cream that could be enjoyed all across Canada.
While the Gilchrists are unsure if they will be in the ice cream business forever, they would like to see the shop stay in the family once their seven- and nine-year-old daughters are old enough to take over the reins.
"They are certainly already passionate about it," Georgann said. "They really like it, too."
Coldwater Ice Cream, which has been in business for over 20 years, also sells fudge, popcorn, cotton candy, and an assortment of unique and retro candies. They plan to stay open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until Christmas before taking a hiatus until the Family Day long weekend.
