We got the scoop on Gastonia’s oldest ice cream shop.
For more than 100 years, Tony’s Ice Cream Co. has been holding down the fort in Gaston County. The menu features 28 homemade ice creams, as well as sandwiches, hot dogs, and fries.
The shop started as a push cart in 1915, delivering tasty treats to mill villages in the area. Years later, the business moved to 604 E. Franklin Blvd. and started selling ice cream to stores and restaurants across the Tar Heel state.
The longstanding business is now run by third-generation family owners with a commitment to delicious excellence. That excellence and nostalgia landed Tony’s in Southern Living’s top list of old-school shops in the country.
City Editors Jack and Maria are skipping dinner and getting straight to the pint:
Jack’s order: Turkey sandwich, chocolate milkshake
Maria’s order: Chicken sandwich and fries, vanilla ice cream
“Milkshakes are our thing,” said owner Louis Coletta. “We don’t cut corners, we do everything the old-fashioned way.”
Our conclusion: This was a trip worth melting over.
