Columbiana ice cream shop owner shares highlights, challenges ahead of first anniversary
With skyrocketing supply costs, Lovie’s Ice Cream’s owner and ice cream connoisseur Alyssa Newton wants to keep prices low, portions large.
Newton always knew she wanted to be her own boss and share her love for making sweet, homemade treats with her community.
In 2024, she turned her ice cream truck into a full-time business, opening Lovie’s Ice Cream in Columbiana.
“I’m the only one that makes the ice cream daily here. I use fresh ingredients and whenever possible, I make a lot of the ingredients myself,” she said. “That’s what I love about our product.”
The former teacher is now a full-time business owner at Lovie’s, located at 601 North Main St. in Columbiana.
As she approaches her one-year-anniversary, Newton said her customers come first.
“I’m never going decrease our portion sizes,” she said. “When I have to, I either take a pay cut or I raise our prices a little bit so we could still have the same quality and size portions that we do and that people expect.”
Certain prices for items on the menu will be raised, according to Newton.
She said other challenges of starting a new storefront include competing with brands and local businesses that have been open longer.
Newton started selling ice cream while still enrolled at Columbiana High School in 2017 with her sister, Hannah.
Newton graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Education from Youngstown State University.
“As the years went on, I knew I wanted it to be something more,” Newton said. “I decided to open the shop here so it’s close to home and in the town that I started in. I loved the ice cream truck so much.”
One of her favorite parts of owning Lovie’s Ice Cream is making connections with community members in Columbiana.
“I love our employees. They brighten my day whenever I see them,” she said. “I absolutely love getting to chat with our customers. A lot of them become lifelong friends after you start getting to know them, getting to know their stories.”
Lovie’s Ice Cream is open from 4 - 9 p.m. every day at 601 North Main St. in Columbiana.
