GOWANUS — Prospect Heights’ popular ice cream shop Ample Hills Creamery opened its first Gowanus location Tuesday with two dozen flavors and an outdoor roof deck.
The parlor and manufacturing space, located at Nevins and Union streets, occupies a two-story 3,600-square-foot building — its second brick-and-mortar location.
“We knew this was the right space,” said Jackie Cuscuna, who owns Ample Hills with her husband Brian Smith.
Along with a retail counter, the Gowanus Ample Hills also has indoor and outdoor seating on its second floor that can also be used to host parties and events, Cuscuna said.
Most of the company’s ice cream manufacturing and supply will move to 305 Nevins St. — a much larger space than the original space on Vanderbilt Avenue.
The shop also has a bicycle-operated ice cream maker on its second floor that adults and kids can use to churn flavors during special events, Cuscuna said.
Augustus Duravcevic, 11, wanted to be the first customer through the new parlor’s doors. Eagerly awaiting the noon opening, he was in line at 11:40 a.m.
“Mission accomplished,” he said.
Maddy Cahill, 13, was also one of the first to sample the artisanal ice cream Tuesday afternoon. She tried the “It Came From Gowanus” — a combination of salty dark chocolate ice cream, hazelnut crack cookies, white chocolate pearls and orange-scented brownies — which she described as “amazing.”
“We’ve been waiting for it to open,” said Janet Henry, Maddy’s mother.
The children, both of whom live in Gowanus, are frequent customers of the Prospect Heights location but the new nearby shop will save them the trip.
“Especially now that it's summer, we can go any day,” Augustus said.
