New ice cream parlor opens
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David Mercer (left) and Jen Eckert scoop ice cream at the newly-opened ice cream parlor, Big Olaf, in Evans.
Photo by Preston Sparks
A new Amish neighbor has opened shop in Columbia County, bringing a home- style fundamental that most can agree on - ice cream.
The new business, called The Big Olaf, opened Aug. 10 at the corner of Evans to Locks and North Belair roads near Omni Health & Fitness, offering 32 flavors of homemade Amish ice cream.
"It's a lot richer flavor," said store manager Jen Eckert about the taste of the unique ice cream that she sells. "You don't have to eat a lot of it."
The store is owned by Eddie Griffith, who decided to open the dipping parlor after seeing a Big Olaf store in a mall in Ft. Meyers, Fla.
"I always thought it would be neat to start an ice cream store," he said.
After inquiring about the Ft. Meyers business, Griffith got in contact with the man who makes the ice cream. He found out the Sarasota, Fla., entrepreneur is Amish and home makes the desert, delivering it to more than 60 businesses in Florida, some of which carry the Big Olaf name.
"He makes it in five gallon batches," Griffith said of the ice cream process. "There's hardly any air in that ice cream. It's really thick and creamy."
The newly-opened ice cream parlor Big Olaf is located in the Omni Fitness Center shopping center.
Photo by Preston Sparks
The Columbia County store is now the first business outside of Florida that the maker of the ice cream delivers to. Every two weeks, Griffith said, his business receives a new delivery of ice cream. And orders can be made for any flavor prior to a delivery, Eckert said.
The business also has plans to open a full espresso and full smoothie bar.