New Ice Cream Shop Opens in Twin Falls

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – It’s an ice cream shop three years in the making – and it opens this weekend in Twin Falls.

The owners, Troy and RoLynne Hendricks, will open Canyon Rim Creamery on Saturday in a new development across the street from Walmart. A larger grand opening will be held sometime in late April.

“About two or three years ago we had the idea to bring Reed’s Dairy ice cream to Twin Falls,” Troy told News Radio 1310. He and RoLynne became acquainted with Alan Reed when they lived in Idaho Falls, where the dairy is located, and thought his family's ice cream was phenomenal.

Rolynne said when they moved to Twin Falls it wasn’t long before they missed the old fashioned ice cream. That started them thinking of ways to bring it to the Magic Valley. After talking about options with Reed, the Hendricks decided to open their own store selling Reed's product. Reed agreed.

Reed said his family-owned dairy, which opened in 1955, has its own retail stores but also sells ice cream and other dairy products to outlets in Boise, Jackson Hole and other places in the region.

“We’re excited to have our ice cream in Twin Falls,” he said. "We think it’s a great market. We have people ask us all the time, and so we’re excited a store is opening there.”

If all goes well, Troy said he and RoLynne may open other shops in the valley and possibly even beyond. “It depends on what Alan is willing to let us do,” Troy said, explaining he buys the product from Reed and arranges its delivery from Idaho Falls. He is confident the location of their first establishment will help make the venture a success.

The creamery is in a new development on Cheney Drive West near Canyon Ridge High School – an otherwise busy location with Walmart just across the street and a number of newer businesses. Besides ice cream, the creamery will serve soup and grilled-cheese sandwiches. A refrigerator allows customers to select for purchase ice cream, cheese curds and chocolate milk to take home. Troy said he has no doubt people will fall in love with the chocolate milk.

“The chocolate milk is going to be a big thing for us because it’s so good,” he said. “It’s rich, thick and creamy.”

As for the hallmark item – ice cream – there will be 24 flavors in the dipping cabinet but the couple said they have access to about 70 flavors. In all, Reed said his dairy makes about 120 different flavors of ice cream. The Hendricks plan to keep the popular flavors in the cabinet and periodically change out the other flavors. There also will be seasonal flavors.

What’s RoLynne’s favorite?

“Right now it’s fudge brownie, but it changes all the time,” she said.

While the Hendricks family isn’t new to running their own business – Troy also owns a lawn maintenance company, for instance – this is their first time running a retail shop; but they are excited about the opportunity to sell a product they fell in love with years ago.

Saturday’s opening culminates at least three years of anticipation, planning and hard work.

“I think I’m mostly excited about interacting with the public, seeing the expression on people’s faces when they try the ice cream,” Troy said, explaining he’s already witnessed a little of that at the VIP event last Monday.

The owners encourage customers to share their experiences by taking a selfie at the shop and using #CRCreamery in their post.

The creamery, which has nine employees, will open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, with the same hours every Friday and Saturday through the summer. Hours Monday-Thursday will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“It is not even something I made, it’s something I found," Troy said of the ice cream. "But it sure is a good product that we’re excited to stand behind.”