Goldies Flavored Soft Serve opened on May 5, less than six months after the idea for the shop was conceived. Scott Maney and Jason Head were enjoying a long weekend with their families, and reminiscing about their love of classic ice cream shops from their youth. Rather than brush it off, they discussed opening a shop with their friend and neighbor, Alex Gabbard. With everyone on board, including their spouses, they got to work.
“Typically, those hot ideas are forgotten about. This one had legs, so we came back and talked with Alex. That was right before Thanksgiving, and by Christmas, we had the space leased and we were off to the races,” explains Scott.
The owners’ wives, Alicia, Lindsey and Maria are credited with the name “Goldies,” a reference to the families’ pet golden retrievers and love of dogs. Scott’s family has two goldens, Leo and Lou. Jason’s is named Daisy and Alex grew up with the beloved breed as pets.
Alex, Scott and Jason were intentional in their use of local services and companies in creating Goldies. Everything from the build-out to the flooring, security system, and graphic design was done by companies from Centerville or the surrounding area.
The walk-up ice cream shop boasts 48 flavors for soft serve ice cream. Each serving is individually mixed using Borden milk from Ohio dairies in Cleveland and Cincinnati and your choice of flavor. Ice cream can be served up in a sugar cone, waffle cone, or a dish. You can add rainbow sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles or Krunch Koat. The Krunch Koat has already found many fans.
The owners’ favorite flavors are peanut butter, caramel and wild cherry chill, while top sellers have been fudge brownie and peanut butter. Goldies was created with simplicity in mind, but new, delectable creations will be offered occasionally, such as ice cream nachos which were introduced for a limited time in mid-May.
Goldies has 65 employees (including Jason and Lindsey’s son Carter and Maria Gabbard’s children, Evan and Bella Tharp), most of them high school students. They allow kids to work a limited schedule and gain experience in a fun, positive work environment. The owners have enjoyed watching them grow and work as a team. Those who have shown their leadership potential have been promoted to shift leads.
Goldies is a family-friendly shop and a community gathering place. Jason says, “Our price point reflects that. You can charge as much as you want for this stuff, but we wanted to keep it lower so that families could enjoy it no matter what.”
Free pup cups with mini dog treats are also available for all dogs. Open seasonally, Goldies hours are 12-10 p.m. 7 days per week.
“When they first came to me with the idea, I thought they were joking because we're always joking with each other. My wife Maria said, ‘I don't think so. I think they're serious.’ It's been a fun ride ever since. These two guys are great to work with, and it has strengthened our friendship,” says Alex.
Scott, Jason, and Alex undoubtedly love their ice cream, but even more, Goldies is about their love of family, community and the fun of gathering with friends and furry pals. Goldies Flavored Soft Serve is located at 9352 Dayton Lebanon Pike. You can check out the current menu at GoldiesSoftServe.com.
