Soft serve ice cream shops reopen for the season

PLATTSBURGH | Two long lines of customers stretched to the edge of Route 3 on April 22, the opening day for Harrigan's Soft Ice Cream in West Plattsburgh. The parking lot overflowed onto surrounding lawns. "Summer doesn't start until Harrigan's opens," said local Olivia Squier. "I've been coming here since I was little, it's so nostalgic for me." Harrigan's is one of a half-dozen soft serve ice cream shops in greater Plattsburgh to recently open its doors for the season, a sure sign that the North Country is thawing out after a long winter. Here's a rundown on where to get your scoop. Harrigan's Soft Ice Cream A staple since 1959, Harrigan's is considered the oldest soft serve in Clinton County. "The Harrigans always did a really good job of keeping it simple and classic," said owner Andrea Ray, who purchased the shop from the Harrigan family six years ago with her husband, Kris Wiley. "It was important for us to keep what they had started and also grow the business from there." Ray works closely with a number of local businesses to collaborate on flavors and creations. "We partnered with the Parker family to make our maple soft serve, and with the Bankers to make an Apple Cider Donut sundae," said Ray, referencing Parker Family Maple Farm in Chazy and Banker Orchards in Plattsburgh. "It's important for us to collaborate with businesses that have been around for a long time in the North Country." Harrigan's offers rotating soft serve flavors each week alongside the mainstays of chocolate, vanilla, and black raspberry. Harrigan's address: 1243 State Route 3, Plattsburgh Harrigan's hours: 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily Udder Delight Dairy Shop The second oldest soft serve in the region, Udder Delight marked the start of its 62nd season on April 11. "I grew up walking distance from here, and I'd come here for ice cream my entire life," said Karisa Orr, who bought the shop three years ago with her husband Eddy. "This is an iconic ice cream stand. We saw this opportunity and we were like, 'Let's do it.'" The vast selection of flavors includes a maple syrup soft serve, which uses local syrup. Udder Delight also prides itself on its homemade strawberry and red raspberry toppings. "The thing that separates us is we use a fresh mix," said Orr. "It only has a shelf life of two weeks. It makes it so creamy and delicious." Udder Delight also serves burgers, poutine, and fried pickles. "People come here, they get their meal, they hang out for a bit and eat, and they go get their dessert," said Orr. Udder Delight address: 6846 Route 22, Plattsburgh Udder Delight hours: 11:30 a.m to 7:30 p.m. daily IceBurgh Creamery A relative newcomer that has quickly gained a reputation for its signature sundaes, including a brownie sundae and peanut butter explosion sundae, IceBurgh Creamery started modestly in 2017. "We started out with just a Pepsi cooler we would put our mix in," said manager Darcy Ziemer. IceBurgh has since added an outdoor covered pavilion and kid's play area to its location on Tom Miller Road behind the Pizza Palace in Plattsburgh, which opened for the season on April 22. One sundae in particular has a connection to the owners. The M.A.W., which stands for Mom's Angel Wings, consists of vanilla soft serve, marshmallow topping, strawberries, waffle chips and whipped cream. "The one that really hits my heart is the M.A.W. sundae," said owner Anne Bouyea. "My mother would come up from Florida in the summertime and would help chop strawberries, make chocolate dip cones for us, all kinds of things. She passed away in December 2024, so we made the sundae as a tribute to her." Iceburgh address: 336 Tom Miller Road, Plattsburgh Iceburgh hours: Noon to 8 p.m. daily Sweet Treats Ice Cream A summertime classic in Peru since the 1980s, Sweet Treats welcomed customers back on April 23 for its second season under new ownership. "This shop is my everything," said owner Rachel Calkins Covey, a Peru native who was eager to keep the memories of her childhood ice cream stand alive. "I have poured my heart and soul into this place, and it's the best thing I've ever done." Sweet Treats offers 10 soft serve flavors and more than 30 hard ice cream flavors, including non-dairy options. The shop has 5,500 followers on Facebook, where Calkins Covey posts regular updates about specials and flavors. "One thing that separates us a lot is our social media presence," said Calkins Covey. "We're known for our creativity and really trying to think outside the box." Sweet Treats address: 2897 Main Street Route 22, Peru Sweet Treats hours: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Sunday Doogan's Deli Named after the owner's beloved therapy dog, Doogan's Deli claims to be Clinton County's only soft serve ice cream spot open year round. Located near the campus of SUNY Plattsburgh, Doogan's serves more than 130 soft serve flavors. It also accepts Cardinal Cash for college students. "We're the only soft serve place directly in the city," said owner Kellie Porter. A former school psychologist, Porter opened Doogan's in January 2025 in the location of the former Lashway's Meat Market. She is planning events this summer, including live music and a "meet the therapy dog" event with Doogan himself. Doogan's address: 4932 S Catherine Street, Plattsburgh Doogan's hours: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday The Scoop At Valcour The new kid on the block, The Scoop at Valcour opened its doors for the first time ever on April 18. "Customers have been great," said scooper Teri Prunier. "We've had people come back every weekend." The Scoop offers soft serve as well as a growing list of inventions like the Junk Pile, made up of waffle cones, 10 scoops of ice cream, five toppings, two candy options, whipped cream, nuts, and cherries. Prunier also runs Valcour Bottle Redemption with her partner, Jake Menard, who owns The Scoop at Valcour. "Jake has always wanted an ice cream stand," said Prunier. "It's his dream." The Scoop address: 3999 US-9, Plattsburgh The Scoop hours: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday —Written by SUNY Plattsburgh students Abbey Paul and Gianna Cantone

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Soft serve ice cream shops reopen for the season

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