Ten spots to score a scoop in Livingston County
LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Unique ice cream parlors in and around Livingston County include a train caboose in Howell, a devilish creamery in Hell, and a boutique café and small watercraft rental on the Huron River.
In addition to seasonal favorites, the county has a variety of shops serving ice cream, frozen yogurt, shakes or shaved ice open year-round. M Street Baking Co.'s shakes have become the taste of downtown Howell. Jack's Custard and Blank Slate Creamery have downtown Brighton hooked. Cap'n Frosty in Hamburg Township and DairyVille in Fowlerville are local traditions.
Here are ten places to find scooped ice cream, soft-serve, frozen custard, shakes and shaved ice:
Whistle Stop Ice Cream Caboose
People have been lining up at a train caboose in Genoa Township near Howell for 22 seasons, but they're not there to take a ride. The converted caboose sells soft-serve ice cream, frozen yogurt, and over 20 different flavors of hand-dipped ice cream, according to the business.
Whistle Stop Ice Cream Caboose at 2385 E. Grand River Ave. is open 3-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 12-9 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays.
Southern Shaved Ice
This shaved ice parlor brings a taste of the south, where shaved ice is plentiful. After moving to Michigan from Texas, Southern Shaved Ice owner Autumn Dubroc was shocked there weren't more places for "snowballs," as they call them in Texas. The parlor, which opened in 2018, offers more than 50 flavors, which can also be combined — plus the option to add a scoop of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.
Southern Shaved Ice at 6103 Grand River Ave. in Genoa Township near Lake Chemung is open 2-8 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays-Thursdays and 2-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
DairyVille
This parlor and drive-thru service with a wide range of soft-serve ice cream flavors is Fowlerville's local spot. DairyVille frequently updates its menus with seasonal flavors. The Gladiator Cone with blueberry and lemon soft-serve twisted together matches Fowlerville schools' iconic purple and gold.
DairyVille at 447 W. Grand River Ave. in Fowlerville is open 12-9 p.m. daily this spring.
M Street Baking Co.
This downtown Howell baking company offers a wide variety of sweet treats and is known for hand-dipped, hand-crafted milkshakes. The bakery has a flagship store downtown and "Shakes by M Street Baking Company" locations at Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi and Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills.
The business at 117 N. Michigan Ave. is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays.
Chocolate Boutique and Bakery
This downtown Howell bakery carries hand-dipped ice cream and freshly-made chocolates and confections, like cannolis, scones and lemon bars. They also take custom orders for cakes, cupcakes, and a wide variety of sweet treats.
Chocolate Boutique and Bakery at 118 W. Grand River Ave. in Howell is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays.
NautiMI on the River
This local-sourced gift shop, boat rental and café on the Huron River across from Portage Lake in Dexter Township also features an ice cream parlor. Customers travel to the shop by road and by small watercraft. They can grab an ice cream, shake or malt, reserve rentals for kayaks, paddleboards, canoes and a tiki boat, and browse boutique gifts made in Michigan.
NautiMI on the River at 9260 McGregor Road in Pinckney is open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays.
Cap'n Frosty
People in Pinckney and Hamburg Township enjoy cold treats on picnic tables outside Cap'n Frosty. The parlor has a large selection of hand-dipped flavors, soft-serve, shakes, malts and sundaes. It's located across M-36 from a trailhead to the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail State Park.
Cap'n Frosty at 9245 Bernice Drive in Pinckney is open 3-8:30 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 2-8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday.
The Creamatory at Screams Souvenirs
Everything in Hell plays on tongue-and-cheek humor. The small, unincorporated hamlet in Putnam Township features a souvenir shop called Screams, putt-putt golf, a small wedding chapel and other Hell-themed activities. The Creamatory inside the souvenir shop serves ice cream in fresh-made waffle cones. If customers finish the Gravedigger Sundae, staff will sign, seal and singe a death certificate from Hell.
The Creamatory at 4045 Patterson Lake Road in Pinckney is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
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Blank Slate Creamery
Homemade, all-natural ice cream, sorbets and non-dairy treats are on the menu at this downtown Brighton parlor. Blank Slate Creamery owner and "scoopologist" Janice Sigler started the business in Ann Arbor and expanded to Brighton in 2020.
Blank Slate Creamery at 126 E. Grand River Ave. in Brighton is open 2-9 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 2-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
Jack's Custard and Cakes
This downtown Brighton parlor is known for its frozen custard and close proximity to the Imagination Station and Mill Pond. It offers a variety of scoops and sundaes, fresh fruit smoothies, and other cold treats, like frozen bananas and ice pops.
Jack's Custard and Cakes at 415 Mill Pond Lane in Brighton is open 12-8 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays.
— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Ten spots to score a scoop in Livingston County
