An Iconic Iowa Ice Cream Shop is Reopening This Summer

North-central Iowa is in for a real treat!

If you've ever been to Mason City, Iowa, there's a good chance you've heard of Birdsall's Ice Cream Company. It's an adorable little ice cream shop that has been around since 1931 and is considered a treasure within the community. Located at 518 North Federal Avenue, Birdsall's has been closed for quite awhile now, but we're happy to report that that's about to change!

A couple of days ago, I saw a post on Facebook announcing that Birdsall's is under new ownership and is set to reopen sometime this summer. Two couples are now running the place: Anne & Gary Schmit and Michelle & Marc Murray.

I spoke to Gary on the phone this week, and the first thing I asked him was why they decided to buy Birdsall's. He told me that the ice cream shop has a very special history in the Mason City area. It's been beloved for nearly 90 years now, and the new owners hope to continue the tradition.

If you're not familiar with Birdsall's, the iconic little shop serves hard ice cream that's made right there in the facility. They're also known for their sundaes and shakes. Gary says that much of the menu will stay the same, and that they've been consulting the former manager, who was there for FIFTY years, to help them learn the ins and outs of the business.

Gary told me that they hope to open Birdsall's soon as they can, but it will take a few weeks to get things ready. They plan to serve customers their famous ice cream flavors sometime this summer, and then they plan to close up shop this winter to "freshen things up." Don't worry, Gary says that they have no plans for a huge makeover. They'd like to keep much of the shop the same for the nostalgia.

We're happy that the folks of Mason City will get their favorite ice cream shop back in the very near future! You can read more on Birdsall's and it's history HERE.