Sweet investment in the community
Aug. 9—WAGRAM — Ice cream is happiness, according to Victoria Purcell.
"Ice cream is friendly," she said.
She should know as she and her husband, Wagram mayor George Purcell, recently opened Victoria's Sweets and Treats on Main Street in Wagram.
The ice cream shop has already become a popular hangout spot. But the Purcells are doing more than just selling ice cream, they are making an investment in the town and leading the way for others to do the same.
"Once we found the church, COVID beat most churches down," said George Purcell, who is also the senior pastor at Jubilee Christian Center of Wagram, "It was challenging our finances too. Once I was elected mayor, I realized that I need to invest in the town where I am. If I asked people to invest in Wagram, that I really needed to show them that I would invest my money where they are expected to invest their money. We call ourselves leading by example."
The Purcells purchased the building on Main Street, which was a former car repair shop., renovated it and donated it to the church. The ice cream shop provides an income stream to the church and is helping spur economic development in the town.
"Everybody likes ice cream," Victoria Purcell said.
"We make it a wholesome environment," George Purcell added.
In the last two weeks, Victoria's Sweets and Treats has become an attraction, getting customers on their way to the beach, people who are filling their tanks at the gas station next door or folks shopping at the neighboring gun shop. They already have regulars who stop in for a cool treat on these hot summer days. The shop is so popular, that the Purcells have already expanded their hours of operations.
Originally, the story was going to be closed on Sundays, but Victoria Purcell said customer demand was strong and the shop is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday now. Monday though Saturday, the shop is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. In the coming weeks, the Purcells said the show will offer sandwiches as well as the 32 flavors of ice cream and the made to order milkshakes.
"People sit outside and socialize," Victoria Purcell said. "It's very nice. We were actually closed on Sundays, but people were waiting outside."
George Purcell said the shop is a calming space for the community and a gathering center. "There's energy in the town. We're making this an anchor. The community needed to see a little bit of a splash. You can't ask people to invest in your town if don't."
Victoria Purcell said so many people have thanked them for opening the shop and giving them some place to gather in Wagram.
Victoria's Sweets and Treats is one of four new businesses that has opened in Wagram in the last month.
Christina Davis McCoy who stopped by the shop Monday said she believes the ice cream shop is bringing new life into the community.
"This is a community that has so much potential. It is a direct flow to the beach, you can not get to the beach without coming through Wagram. And Wagram has a history of vitality and this is a real opprotunity for this community to come back alive. I do believe that other people will catch the spirit," she said.
