Cookie sundaes ($8/1 scoop) are a popular choice at Stella’s Ice Cream in Celina. (Karen Chaney/Community Impact)
When Celina residents and longtime friends Brent Chism, Ashlee Chism, Russ Moffett and Mica Moffett started entertaining the idea of going into business together, the two married couples hired a franchise consultant who presented them with five business concepts, including Stella’s Ice Cream.
“I joked that the Lord was shining down on Brent because his last meal, and everyday meal, would be ice cream,” Ashlee Chism said of her husband.
The couples opened their first Stella’s Ice Cream shop in Celina in September 2025 followed by a second Stella’s franchise in McKinney in January.
Mica Moffett, left, and Ashlee Chism co-own the Stella’s Ice Cream franchise in Celina with their husbands. (Karen Chaney/Community Impact)
“Being from Celina, we wanted to be a part of the community—not just live here, we want to be a part of it,” Ashlee Chism said. “It's such a cute downtown and they have so many events. It looked like a perfect place to be.”
The scoop
Ice cream and waffle cones are made fresh daily—following recipes provided by Stella’s Ice Cream corporation—at the Celina ice cream shop. The Chisms, Moffetts and their production manager all attended ice cream school at Stella’s corporate office in Idaho.
Mica Moffett said their top three selling ice cream flavors are cookies and cream, salted caramel, mint chip and All Nighter, which features dark chocolate, coffee and cookie dough.
“What makes our cookies and cream extra special is it has a powdered white chocolate,” Mica Moffett said. “Our mint chip is very popular and is made with Andes mints.”
Ice cream served in waffle cones and cookie bowls are crowd pleasers, the business owners said.
What makes them special
Stella’s serves 11 ice cream flavors year round including their award winning vanilla featuring Madagascar vanilla. One space in the ice cream cooler is reserved for a flavor of the week, four are seasonal flavors and eight are dairy-free options.
Stella’s dairy-free flavors are made with coconut milk, which provides a creamy ice cream, not sorbet-like texture, Mica Moffett said.
“They can make a shake out of it,” Mica Moffett said. “People say they haven't had ice cream in 10 years. They get all excited.”
