They’ve got the scoop

Rusty McLear and Jodie Herbert get a hug from Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield during Ben & Jerry’s grand opening at Meredith’s Mill Falls Marketplace on Saturday, July 15. (Karen Bobotas/for The Laconia Daily Sun)

Founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream attend Meredith shop opening

By ALANA PERSSON, LACONIA DAILY SUN

MEREDITH — Inclement weather no longer has to prevent Ben and Jerry’s fanatics from enjoying their favorite scoop of ice cream, as the newly renovated shop in the Mill Falls Plaza in Meredith now provides guests with inside seating.

The shop in Meredith is now entering its 25th year; however, before settling in the Mill Falls Plaza, the shop first started up in the Weirs Beach. Right along the boardwalk, the original ice cream shop aimed to feed boaters and people who were spending a day on Lake Winnipesaukee However, the shop moved after a few years and tested out a few other locations before finally becoming a permanent business in downtown Meredith.

The shop that has become a staple of Meredith has typically been known as a small shop with a take-out window. Immediately outside the shop patrons could sit at some of the benches nearby or at the outside gazebo in front of the window. Unfortunately, this type of seating could only provide guests with a place to rest on warm, sunny days, which is not a guarantee in New Hampshire.

Recognizing that business could be even better with an inside seating section, Jayne Cohen, president and owner of the Ben and Jerry’s in Meredith, said they began toying with the idea of buying the vacant store behind the ice cream shop. After much consideration and planning, Cohen and her husband, Wayne Giles, and manager Liz Breton decided that in order to help the store progress in the right direction, an inside section would be inevitable. Thus, they went forward with purchasing the store and began renovating the shop.

As the renovations began, the team of contractors working on the facility helped them make the expansion look seamless by adding a wall at one side of the shop and adding a customer entrance door.

“It came out better than we could have even imagined. We visualized it and put it into a plan, and you think things are a good idea when you put them on paper but never really know until they are put in place, and so we were really happy when we saw how it came together,” said Cohen.

To celebrate the completion of the new shop, a ceremony was held at which Ben and Jerry themselves were guests.

“Having Ben and Jerry there was fantastic,” said Cohen. “It was an honor and a privilege that we were able to have them both there.”

The idea behind having them both come to the event stemmed from a conversation back in January at a Ben and Jerry’s luncheon, where she told them of the new shop she would be opening.

Cohen was excited to tell the founders and the others that the new shop now not only provides a dry place for people to enjoy their favorite flavors of ice cream, but also now offers iced and hot coffee and tea, and home-cooked brownies and cookies. The facility also offers guests with high-speed wifi and charging systems, which have been popular, according to Cohen.

Another new piece of technology that has been added to the facility this year is the ability to take credit cards. In years prior, they had relied on cash because they had an ATM next to the ice cream window that people could use. For many years, they felt that they weren’t losing many customers due to the cash-only service; however, they were also aware that they might be losing more business than they realized, said Cohen.

“I feel like you are a business and stay stagnant and don’t stay with the times, then you will lose business,” said Cohen. “Even though we are an ice cream shop, we need to stay with the times, and that if you are a business you need to realize that you need to stay up to date or your business may find its downfall.”

With a background in hospitality, Cohen has been focused on making customers remember the experience and high-quality customer service. At Ben and Jerry’s in Meredith, the goal is to keep people coming not just for ice cream, but for a repeat fun and positive experience, according to Cohen.

With the future looking bright for the company and the major renovation already completed, the next expansion is not a physical one, but rather to grow their catering business that was started two years prior. The new room will allow for people to come to the facility for events, and the company will also be able to cater for weddings, business meetings or birthday parties. Those interested in having Ben and Jerry’s cater an event are encouraged to contact the shop directly to set up a meeting.

This year the shop will be closing down on Jan. 1 instead of mid-October, as the new room will allow for a longer season. The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily at Mill Falls Plaza.

Julian Gauthier with chocolate and gummy bears, Rachel Gauthier with Coffee, Coffee, Buzz, Buzz and Samara Gauthier with The Tonight Dough made for happy campers all around during the Ben & Jerry’s grand opening. (Karen Bobotas/for The Laconia Daily Sun)

Liz Breton serves customers in the newly opened indoor seating space at Ben & Jerry’s in Meredith’s Mill Falls Marketplace during their grand opening celebration July 15. The new space will allow the business to continue operation through Dec. 31, and is available for catering special events. (Karen Bobotas/for The Laconia Daily Sun)