New Shop Brings Sweet Treats to Main Street
Photographer / Belinda Russell
Libby Wyatt loves Fortville. After moving there two years ago in order to be close to her retail business, she immersed herself in the community spirit. When she saw that the town had a need for an ice cream shop, she jumped into action to fill the void. The result is Libbys Ice Cream and Gifts, located at 11 South Main Street.
Wyatt explains how her ice cream and gift shop came to be.
After being a professional organizer and working from home, I opened Storehouse in 2016, she says. “It was filled with a mix of furniture, gifts and décor. I choose Fortville as the site for the business because I just loved its small-town feel.
Indulge Ice Cream shop was right across the street and when it closed in September 2018, I watched families getting out of cars and trying to open the door, Wyatt says. I could see their disappointment. As they left, I thought, They wont come back to Fortville. I told my husband, We have to add ice cream.
After closing down for a month last May, Storehouse reopened in June as Libbys Ice Cream and Gifts. Modifications included making the inside brighter by installing recessed lighting and removing Storehouses trademark dividing wall of windows and doors. And while its still a great place to pick up a gift or décor item, there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy ice cream such as the bar spanning the front window and several tables.
Also new is a colorful mural painted by Sheri Jones of Studio 309. Its perfect for selfie-taking.
When it came time to choose an ice cream brand, I wanted to go local, not outside the state, Wyatt says. I needed someone close by who could hold my hand. One cold, rainy day last spring, we went to Sundaes Homemade Ice Cream in Indianapolis and people were packed in there. They do wholesale and we reached out to them to supply our ice cream.
The ice cream selections are constantly rotated but the typical standards of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate are always available among the other innovative flavors. The best seller is Graham Central Station but seasonal favorites like pumpkin, chewy chocolate and banana brownie are popular. A dairy-free option is always offered. This winter, Wyatt is planning to serve hot chocolate and apple cider which can also be made into floats when a scoop of ice cream and warm syrup is added. Sundaes and ice cream sandwiches are year-round choices.
We try to have something for everybody, Wyatt says. We have gift items for sale in the store that hit all ages such as Melissa & Doug toys and local products like soaps, jewelry and candles. We are trying to do monthly activities and for December we are having Selfies with Santa.
When we opened, we got a great welcome from the community. On Fathers Day the line was out the door for five hours, she adds. Im so grateful for all the people in Fortville who stepped up to help us just because they wanted the business to be successful.
Visit Libbys Ice Cream and Gifts on Facebook for current flavors and upcoming activities. The shop is closed on Mondays, Open Tuesday through Thursday 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday 12:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.