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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2016-10-12, Page 1n The L ck www.Iucknowsentinel.com n ow Se n 11 $1.50 HST included PM40064683R07656 el Wednesday, October 12, 2016 Troy Patterson/Editor Allan and Lucy Miller of Huron -Kinloss' Holyrood General Store show off the fabled 'large' ice cream cone many try to attempt during visits to the rural business between Lucknow and Ripley. Celebrating 30 years in 2016, the store sold over 23,000 litres of ice cream, by the cone, in 2016. Over 23,000 litres of ice cream - record year for Holyrood General Store Troy Patterson Editor Holyrood General Store broke open over 2,070 tubs of ice cream in 2016, a record hard to beat for any small business. By the numbers, that's 23,598 litres of ice cream, and owners Lucy and Allan Miller said they've gone through 47,840 ice cream cones between January and end of October 2016. "It's been our busiest year ever," said Lucy, who with her husband celebrated 30 years of running the rural general store in Huron -Kin- loss Township, between Rip- ley and Lucknow. "It was a busy summer, but we're still having fun. It can get a bit hectic with the pressure to keep up:' A stop on the Township of Huron -Kinloss' popular Ice Cream Trail photo scavenger hunt, the cash -only store affectionately known by locals as the 'Miller Mall' lists ice cream as its biggest seller, with its beyond -gener- ous ice cream cone size within a $2-$4 price range. Lucy said aside from ser- vicing the Mennonite com- munity and other rural resi- dents with the wide variety of other items sold at the store, including flowers and pumpkins, word has spread of the fabled 'Holyrood' ice cream through those that have experienced the loca- tion, as well as social media and the internet. "We had some people vis- iting from other countries to, and those visiting friends are told that have to come and visit us," she said. "We had people from Holland come telling us they saw our pic- ture on their computer." Line ups were out the door and stretching down their lot at times on Bruce Road 1 this summer. Lucy said the annual Ice Cream Trail plays a big role in its success, but customers have often caught wind of their ice cream from friends and family suggest- ing they attempt the chal- lenge of tackling one of their large cones - often a race to beat before it melts and a common occurence for new customers. "It was a combination of everything and the hot weather was a big factor too," said Lucy. "You don't see a lot of old general stores like this anymore either." Lucy said their ice cream is supplied about 75% by Markdale's Chapman's Ice Cream, and about 25% by Renfrew -based Tracey's Ice Cream. Ashley Chapman of Chapman's Ice Cream said he hadn't heard of the Holyrood General Store's success when he was con- tacted by the Kincardine News and Lucknow Senti- nel, but was thrilled to hear the numbers they were turning over for a small rural business. CONTINUED > PAGE 3