By Matthieu Vollmer

Contributor

MARSHFIELD — Hub City Ice Cream Company is slated to close for the season on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

“Ice cream isn’t the first thing in mind when it is cold out. This is the time of year when people purchase the ice cream by the quart or pint to stock their freezer for the winter,” said Hub City Ice Cream Company owner Sandy Freeman.

Freeman said the company will reopen in April 2015.

Hub City Ice Cream, a supporter of local events like Hub City Days and a member of the National Ice Cream Retailers Association (NICRA), opened in April 2013.

“We wanted to open a place where families can go to socialize and sit. It seemed like other communities had a local ice cream place, and we wanted that in Marshfield,” Freeman said.

The company values time spent with family and friends, which is why they don’t have a drive-thru. “We wanted it that way so that people would take the time to sit down and enjoy the experience,” said Freeman.

The ice cream served is made in Madison, WI by Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream.Freeman added that they make their waffle cones fresh each morning.

“They are so fresh, and the smell is fantastic,” said Freeman.

Regarding nutrition, Chocolate Shoppe says on their website, “Don’t even ask. This is the best ice cream made in Wisconsin, and it tastes so good because it has gobs of rich Wisconsin cream, tons of real ingredients for boat-loads of luscious flavors. That means it’s not low-fat, low-calorie or low-anything, and that’s why everyone loves it. You want nutrition, eat carrots.”

“My favorite flavors are Peanut Butter Cookie Dough and Heaps of Love,” said Freeman. Other staple flavors like Maple Nut and Butter Pecan are also available.

Best-selling flavors include Heaps of Love and Zanzibar Chocolate. More recent flavors added to the menu include This Just Got Serious, a salted caramel ice cream with cashews and fudge, and Snap-O-Lantern, a spicy pumpkin ice cream with gingersnap cookies.

A single waffle cone costs $3.50 and a double $4.50. A single turtle sundae costs $4.25 and a double $5.50. Ice cream by the pint costs $4.50, and it is $8.25 per quart.

Freeman further explained that there is more value in purchasing three quarts of Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream than from a conventional grocery store. The ice cream is a premium ice cream, which means it has less air whipped in it; therefore, one quart of Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream goes further than competing brands.

When asked what she would recommend to someone who hasn’t visited Hub City Ice Cream, Freeman said, “Take an extra five minutes to drive to the south end of town. You can sample all of our 24 flavors. Stop by once and see if we have something you like.”

Hub City Ice Cream employs roughly 14 individuals, mostly comprised of high school and college students. Freeman said, “They’re my family.” Freeman indicated that seeing families active in the community is very important, and she enjoys having families stop by after Sunday soccer games.

Hub City Ice Cream Company, which also offers catering for events, is located at 1610 S. Central Ave. in Marshfield. Fall hours are from 2:30-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 12-9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. To learn more, call (715) 384-2922 or search for “Hub City Ice Cream Company” on Facebook.