Graley’s Creamery and Confections has anchored a corner of downtown Papillion since 2017, but its history starts in North Carolina, where the Compton family began looking for a new home. The Comptons are better known in Papillion as Mr. and Mrs. C.
According to Mr. C., “My wife wanted a place with four seasons, so we chose Nebraska, where you get four seasons in one day.”
The Comptons were not ice-cream makers by trade. They came to Nebraska to plant churches, but they say God has a sense of humor. Through a series of events, they eventually found themselves looking for a different way to serve people.
Someone asked, “What are you going to do now?”
Mr. C. answered without hesitation. “We'll open an ice cream shop.”
That was news to Mrs. C., but she signed on for the adventure.
When the oldest building in Papillion came up for sale, the Comptons knew they’d found a home for their Victorian-themed soda fountain. They started an extensive renovation project while also experimenting in the kitchen. They collected recipes from family members dating back to the 1800s. One of the cakes they serve today is from Aunt Gertrude’s recipe, and many of the ice creams were inspired by old-time church socials.
Graley’s flavors come from a variety of sources, including third graders who tour the historic downtown each year.
The ice cream was a big hit from the start, but Mr. and Mrs. C. wondered how to keep things going through the winter. That’s when someone came up with the idea for pies.
The first batch of hand pies debuted during Papillion’s Winter Wonderland. The Comptons envisioned folks walking around downtown with hot chocolate in one hand and pie in the other. Customers agreed, and they bought about 5,000 pies that weekend.
Now, the Comptons and head baker John Rubalacara bake thousands of pies each winter. They knead the dough by hand and get some assistance from an automatic rolling machine named Estella. They greet her by name each morning.
Graley’s offers ice cream, sodas, and confections year-round, while soups and pies are seasonal. Savory pies show up in early November, and sweet pies appear at Winter Wonderland.
The entire team from bakers to soda jerks has a simple goal: to offer the least expensive, highest-value gourmet treats around.
As for that original dream to share their faith in the community, nothing changed but the delivery system. Mr. C. says he does more counseling through conversations at the soda fountain than he ever did as a family pastor. Maybe that’s why the ice cream tastes so good.
“We don’t add an ingredient unless I can spell it.”
Graley’s recipes require super-premium, all-natural fresh ingredients purchased locally whenever possible.
Mr. C. says, “We don’t add an ingredient unless I can spell it.”
If something isn’t available locally, Mr. C. travels to meet farmers and make selections.
“We buy our milk from a dairyman who knows each of his cows by name,” he says. That’s important to us.”
This attention to detail flows from the upstairs kitchen to the downstairs shop, where every treat is handed over with a locally grown smile.