Dishing Up Ice Cream on State Street

Downtown Portsmouth is blessed to have a plethora of restaurants, cafes and shops that serve great food and drink, but one the thing that may be lacking is ice cream shops.

Not anymore.

Thanks to Ryan and Crystal Cronin, owners of Portsmouth Provisions and Googie's on State Street and Market Square News on Congress Street, the city now has a new ice cream shop named after their infant son, Clark's Creamery.

Ryan said he officially opened the new shop for business about a week ago and the response has been good, especially on days like Tuesday when the mercury soared well into the low- to mid-90s.

"We thought of the idea a while back because we had ice cream over in the deli," said Cronin about Googie's which is located next door. It was just a matter of waiting for the right space to open up. When a 290-square foot space became available for lease right next door to Googie's and Portsmouth Provisions, the couple snapped it up.

After getting a building permit from the city last spring, Cronin said construction started on June 27 and the new business opened on July 7. Members of the couple's staff, which includes 10 full time and one part time worker, man the ice cream shop counter.

Cronin believes Clark's Creamery will do well because "people said there was a need for an ice cream store on this side of town."

Before Clark's Creamery opened, Strawbery Banke had an ice cream store on Marcy Street until it closed two years ago. The only other downtown options are Izzy's Frozen Yogurt on Bow Street and Anabelle's Ice Cream on Ceres Street down by the waterfront.

The couple's goal is to provide simple over-the-counter service so customers can come in, get ice cream cones, sundaes and ice cream dishes and be on their way to Prescott Park or downtown. They are serving Shain's of Maine ice cream and feature many flavors that are sure to please even the most particular ice cream junkies.

Cronin said the couple hasn't decided yet what it will do with the ice cream store from November to April, but ice cream will certainly be part of the mix.

Cronin said they also wanted to add an ice cream shop to their retail businesses so they can diversify. He said when the Memorial Bridge eventually closes so a new one can be built, businesses on the New Hampshire and Maine side of the bridge will suffer.

After the New Hampshire and Maine departments of transportation announced Monday the bridge would be closed to northbound traffic, Cronin said he already noticed a drop off in business for all three of the couple's State Street stores.

Clark's Creamery's hours are 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday.