Katie Chandler said she always had a love for historically old houses and the sense of nostalgia she got from them.
She often takes her kids to local ice cream shops in the cities they visit—just like she did as a child.
When she saw the second-oldest home in Friendswood was for sale, she immediately thought of turning it into an ice cream parlor.
Katie and her husband, Ben, officially opened Friendswood Scoop Shop last summer, and it has been a community hit.
Meet the owners
The Chandlers have lived in Friendswood for nearly eight years with their five children, whose ages range from 6-16.
Chandler loves how community-centered Friendswood is and said she was excited to build on that.
“Because we have five kids, community has always been really important to us, and looking back, that’s something I’ve always been driven towards,” Chandler said.
Before the Chandlers purchased the space, the 1920s house had been unoccupied for 30 years.
Chandler said she looked forward to opening the house up to Friendswood so residents could also have access to its history, as the other historical museums in Friendswood have limited visiting hours.
How we got here
Six months before the store officially opened, Chandler hosted “Taste It Tuesdays” in her driveway and offered her neighbors free ice cream every week while she experimented with homemade flavors.
“I was hand-making all the inclusions that went into everything, but once we opened, we were literally staying up all night making ice cream for months,” Chandler said.
Now, the shop offers 16 flavors and usually one non-dairy flavor, all made in-house, including classic favorites like milk chocolate, strawberry and butter pecan. The rest of the flavors are constantly switched out, so customers can try new flavors Chandler creates every week.
She said she enjoys partnering with other businesses in the area, and right now, the pecans, coffee and strawberry preserves she uses as ingredients are all sourced from local shops.
“All the partnerships we do have been the biggest surprise, and it’s just been the greatest thing,” Chandler said.
The local impact
From holiday parades to meaningful fundraisers, Friendswood Scoop Shop always seems to be hosting something. Most recently, the shop celebrated its first anniversary with a kangaroo, a bouncy house, face paint and local vendors.
This past year, the shop also hosted a local art show, Fourth of July celebrations and a Make-A-Wish fundraiser.
On the first Sunday of every month, Chandler also hosts Scoops and Snuggles, an event where customers can eat ice cream while cuddling with puppies from the Friendswood pet nonprofit, Three Little Pitties Rescue.
Chandler is already making preparations for fall, and the shop will have a pumpkin patch on site all October and sell fun, seasonal flavors.
“Ice cream is unique because it’s food service, but more like entertainment. It’s really, really special to be a hub where people can meet up and hang out,” Chandler said.
- 901 S. Friendswood Drive, Friendswood
- www.friendswoodscoopshop.com
