West MI Ice Cream Shop With Awesome Name Celebrates 50 Years in Business
Fifty years serving up frozen, delicious treats is a long time! Congrats to the Lowell, Mich., ice cream shop celebrating its 50th birthday this weekend... that also has a TERRIFIC name.
Pretty great, right?
Now, Ball is a family name, and I know it may be juvenile to laugh -- but there's something about seeing those three words together that just makes me giggle. I'm sure the Ball family has heard it all before! And it hasn't stopped 'em for 50 years!
According to Lowell's First Look, Harold and Rose Ball opened the ice cream joint on E. Main St.in Lowell on Memorial Day 1971 with just some ice cream, cups, spoons, and napkins. Eventually, toppings were added and Ball's expanded the flavor selection. By '77 or so, Ball's had started serving food and their famous chili was added to the menu.
In 1991, Harold and Rose's children, Colleen LaLone and Jim Ball, took over running the store. Jim tells the Lowell Ledger people have been trying to get their chili recipe for years,
Somewhere along the line, probably about 40 years ago, my mom and dad found a recipe that they liked for chili, and they started making chili dogs. We only use meat from Gary's Country Meats for the chili. As long as I can remember, people have been trying to get that chili recipe out of us. I just laugh and say no.
Today, Ball's serves cones, malts, shakes, sundaes, flurries, slushes, polish chili cheese dogs, chicken sandwiches, burgers, soft pretzels and more!
Ball's Softee Creme will be celebrating turning 50 this Saturday, July 10, 6 to 9p.m. with live music and vintage prices. In a Facebook post, Ball's shares they'll be serving up 50 cent hot dogs, small cones, pop, chips, and pickles.