Local News
2| Friday, October 25, 2013
NEWINGTON TOWN CRIER
Ice cream and Newington: A sundae kind of love
Continued from Page 1
brand inside grocery stores. But Newington’s Carvel feels like a mom-and-pop shop. At the corner of Main Street and Route 175 for over 30 years, it basically is. Kaye and Jack Lynch eventually passed it on to their son Bob, but both mother and son still stand behind the counter. “We’ve watched families grow here,” says Kaye. “Kids who came in when they were 10 years old now bring their kids in.” “It’s not bad, the ice cream business,” Bob adds. “The tough part is getting through the winter; summer takes care of itself.” You’ll have to wait until the warm weather hits before sauntering up to the outdoor counter at
Dairy Queen on the Turnpike, but maybe that’s its appeal. And who doesn’t have a favorite sundae at Friendly’s? For the more health-conscious sweet tooth there’s self-serve yogurt shop Kiwi Spoon, where tapiocalaced bubble teas and smoothies join the menu. The shop rotates its 16 flavors of frozen yogurt depending on customer preferences. But can the healthier alternative really compete with the good oldfashioned stuff? Apparently, if the fate of Cold Stone Creamery is any indication. Its once-popular Berlin Turnpike franchise was replaced by the independently-owned Yogurt Madness two years ago. “Yomad” offers only large-size cups for patrons to fill with their
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fancy before they pay by weight, priced at .51 cents an ounce. Owner Mark Lawrence takes pride in his close relationship with the Newington community, even buying Girl Scout cookies from local troops to add to his selection of 90 different toppings. He also employs a local artist every summer to design a T-shirt representing the town and the shop, and donates to events like Safe Graduation. “We have a hard time saying no to local charities,” he says. Pretty soon the shop will unveil a signature menu item Lawrence calls a “Younini” — a warm sweet bun filled with frozen yogurt and toppings. “We’re just waiting on the special equipment to make it, so it should be available in a couple of weeks,” he says. A few other frozen yogurt franchises are considering opening locations in town, according to Andy Brecher, town economic development director. But is the frozen treat niche really sustainable with so much competition in a single town? “Newington remains a hot spot for this type of specialty market,” said Brecher. “I think a big part of it is that the Berlin Turnpike is a regional shopping draw,” he added. “A lot of the business comes from people who live outside of Newington but are traveling through.” Not only do residents and visitors have a variety of choices to satisfy their sweet, cold cravings,
Erica Schmitt
Newington Carvel owner Bob Lynch and his mother, Kaye, inside the Main Street store, which the family has owned and operated for 31 years.
but the town’s Grand List benefits too. Mortensen’s, Friendly’s and Dairy Queen are located in standalone buildings. That means their real estate tax is on file with the town’s Revenue Collector, while the other frozen treat shops are part of plazas so only personal tax for each separate entity can be determined. With that said, the sum of the annual personal and real estate tax payments (of those available) on town record for Mortensen’s, Carvel, Friendly’s, Yogurt Madness and Dairy Queen is $56,980.52. Erica Schmitt can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 210, or eschmitt@newbritainherald.com.
THE SCOOP Whatever your flavor or icy preference, here’s a list of where to buy a brain freeze in Newington: ∎Mortensen’s Ice Cream & Restaurant, 3145 Berlin Turnpike ∎Carvel, 1018 Main St. ∎Yogurt Madness, 2997 Berlin Turnpike ∎Friendly’s, 3420 Berlin Turnpike ∎Dairy Queen, 2514 Berlin Turnpike ∎Giovanni’s, 456 New Britain Avenue ∎Kiwi Spoon, 3105 Berlin Turnpike
Reader supports Castelle for council seat To the Editor: It is election time once again and, once again, we are given the opportunity to exercise our privilege to vote, to choose who will govern our town. Adjectives describing the various candidates abound, most of them in the form of superlatives. When it comes to Clarke Castelle they apply, in my opinion, without reservation. Clarke is a man of integrity, a man who thinks before he speaks, a man willing to listen to all sides of an issue. He not only attends the mandatory council meetings and those of commit-
tees on which he serves (many as chairperson), but also the meetings of several other committees of which he is not a member. By gaining firsthand knowledge from their deliberations he is informed on the issues impacting the town based on fact, not emotion. His service on both the Board of Education and the Town Council gives him in-depth knowledge of both these major government organizations. Clarke’s ability to put politics aside and work effectively with all members of each body, irrespective of political
affiliation, speaks to not only his character but also his dedication to truly working for the town’s best interest. The past year has been contentious. More than ever Newington needs someone of Clarke Castelle’s honesty, integrity, commitment to fiscal responsibility and dedication on the Town Council as we move into the next two years. I urge you to vote for Clarke on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Mady Kenny Newington