In 1951, Mary Coyle brought her signature ice cream recipe from the Midwest to midtown Phoenix. Since then, her namesake ice cream parlor has operated in various places around the Valley. Most recently, the shop was located at 7th Street and Bethany Home Road until the space was sold to a redevelopment company in April. The iconic ice cream shop has another location in Akron, Ohio.
Mary Coyle Ol’ Fashion Ice Cream will have a new home this fall – Tapestry on Central, a condo complex on Encanto Boulevard and Central Avenue.
With apartments, condos and landmarks like the Heard Museum within walking distance, owner Larry Healey says the new shop will contribute to more walkup business than the previous location. “But we’ll still have plenty of parking in back for people that want to travel from other areas,” he says.
So, what’s the secret behind Mary Coyle Ol’ Fashion Ice Cream staying in business for nearly seven decades?
“I would say it’s the ice cream, the recipe that Mary Coyle brought from Ohio to Phoenix in 1951. We still use the same recipe today,” Healey says. “We make all of our ice cream on location. People just take a liking to it.”
Healey says the new 1,200-square-foot space is bigger than the old location.
“It’ll accommodate more people,” he adds. “It’s going to have a larger kitchen area, so we can make ice cream pretty much any time without interrupting the customers.”
The shop serves more than 20 ice cream and sherbet flavors in cups, bowls or handmade waffle cones. Customers can also order cookie sandwiches, ice cream flights, sundaes, banana splits and specialties such as the formidable Grand Canyon, an 11-pound sundae with a choice of 13 different flavors and six toppings. According to Healey, the menu at the new location might have a few new twists, but the fan favorites will remain.
“We’re looking forward to serving our old customers and making some new ones,” Healey says.
2302 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, marycoyle.net
