{"id":51449,"date":"2026-06-24T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T22:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.westbendnews.net\/autonews\/?p=51449"},"modified":"2026-06-23T07:55:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T11:55:53","slug":"antwerp-chamber-business-spotlight-main-street-creamery-cafe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.westbendnews.net\/autonews\/antwerp-chamber-business-spotlight-main-street-creamery-cafe\/","title":{"rendered":"Antwerp Chamber Business Spotlight: Main Street Creamery & Cafe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

ANTWERP \u2014 What began as a casual conversation between husband and wife has grown into one of downtown Antwerp\u2019s favorite gathering places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Christy Phillips learned that KB Scoops was for sale, she mentioned it to her husband, Dave. Before long, the couple found themselves embarking on an unexpected business adventure that would allow them to preserve a beloved community destination while adding their own personal touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Main Street Creamery & Cafe continues to delight customers with premium ice cream, specialty sundaes and the welcoming atmosphere that has become its trademark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are an ice cream shop on Main Street with specialty ice cream,\u201d Phillips explained. \u201cWe offer small-batch ice cream that I think is pretty special. We have specialty sundaes, and we love to tweak whatever ice cream or sundae you have to your taste. We offer all of that with a smile, friendliness and hometown care.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The business traces its roots to KB Scoops, which was established approximately six years ago by Matt and Kara Eicher. The building itself has a long history in Antwerp and has served many purposes over the years, including reportedly housing an IGA grocery store, restaurants and other businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe loved what Matt and Kara had created,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cWe always took our friends and family there when they visited from out of state. We didn\u2019t want it to disappear from the community. We wanted it to stay here in some capacity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Phillips family purchased both the business and the historic building, which also contains a spacious upstairs apartment occupied by longtime tenants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the things that sets Main Street Creamery & Cafe apart is its commitment to quality. About half of the shop\u2019s ice cream comes from Sally\u2019s by the Shore, a small-batch ice cream maker that creates flavors specifically for the store. The remainder comes from Guernsey Farms Dairy, a family-owned Michigan dairy known for its premium products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the customer favorites is Grandpa\u2019s Blueberry Pie, a flavor inspired by the dairy owner\u2019s grandfather and his 100th birthday celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe feel like we\u2019re offering high-quality ice cream,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cWe also have a cold stone, so we can do lots of mix-ins and customize things however customers want.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the ice cream is a major draw, Phillips believes the atmosphere plays an equally important role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve created a place where people can come and visit,\u201d she said. \u201cYou might meet a family member, a neighbor or someone you haven\u2019t seen in a while. It really has become a community place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That sense of community is reflected in the shop\u2019s name. When the Phillips family took ownership, they changed the name to Main Street Creamery & Cafe to better represent the business\u2019s role in the heart of Antwerp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe wanted to embody that small-town feeling,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cPeople have been very welcoming to us and to our business. I\u2019m not originally from Antwerp, but my husband grew up here and we live on his family\u2019s farm. Owning the shop has really allowed me to get to know people and feel like part of the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customers return for more than just ice cream. Phillips credits the shop\u2019s success to consistent quality, fair prices, friendly service and a willingness to constantly introduce new flavors and offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re pretty generous with samples,\u201d she laughed. \u201cIf we hear you ask about a flavor, we\u2019re probably going to ask if you\u2019d like to try it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shop frequently rotates flavors, encouraging customers to discover new favorites while still maintaining popular staples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another hallmark of Main Street Creamery & Cafe is its homemade waffle cones. Phillips and her staff make them in-house, a labor-intensive process she believes is worth the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year, the shop added chocolate-dipped waffle cones and expanded its topping selection to include fresh strawberries, raspberries and customer-requested favorites like Captain Crunch cereal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to keep evolving and adding things,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cIf something works, we\u2019ll keep it. If it doesn\u2019t, we\u2019ll adjust. We\u2019re always looking for ways to improve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the most cherished traditions carried over from previous generations of Antwerp ice cream shops is the inclusion of candy eyes and sprinkles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A longtime customer reminded Phillips before opening that \u201cyou always have to have eyes and sprinkles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, she thought the tradition originated with KB Scoops. Later, she learned it dated back even further to the depot ice cream shop that many longtime residents remember fondly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, it remains a favorite among young customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome kids come in and just order \u2018eyes and sprinkles\u2019 and forget to tell us what flavor ice cream they want,\u201d Phillips said with a smile. \u201cWe know they\u2019re important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking ahead, Main Street Creamery & Cafe has plans to continue growing. Phillips hopes to expand the cafe portion of the business with soups, salads and sandwiches while maintaining the quality and atmosphere customers have come to love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of all, she hopes the shop continues to reflect the values of the community it serves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love our little small town,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cI want Antwerp to grow in a responsible way, and I hope people feel that sense of community when they come in here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Phillips, success isn\u2019t measured solely by the ice cream sold, but by the connections made across the counter every day \u2014 one scoop, one smile and one conversation at a time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ANTWERP \u2014 What began as a casual conversation between husband and wife has grown into one of downtown Antwerp\u2019s favorite<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":51450,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2230,6],"tags":[7725,6428,9609,29304,25787,14763,10798,29303,29305],"class_list":["post-51449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-community","category-community","tag-antwerp-chamber-of-commerce","tag-antwerp-ohio","tag-business-spotlight","tag-christy-phillips","tag-dave-phillips","tag-kara-eicher","tag-kb-scoops","tag-main-street-creamery-cafe","tag-matt-eicher"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t