Wednesday, March 31, 1999
Whippy Dip stirs Mason nostalgia
BY RICHELLE THOMPSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON — Yellow and purple crocuses were not spring's signal for a young Stephanie Drake.
She knew winter had turned tail when she could walk the few blocks from Mason Elementary, deposit a quarter in Mae Conover's hand and start licking from a cone full of vanilla ice cream that seemed a foot high.
Mrs. Drake, now 45, could never finish the whole thing. She would stick it in the freezer and eat the rest after supper.
The ice cream shop on the corner of Main Street and Kings Mills Road was one-third of the afternoon circuit, joining the barber shop and the thrift store. They were the triumvirate of small-town Mason before it was called a bedroom community and subdivisions sprung like dandelions in farm fields.
Before Paramount's King's Island and annexation fights and long before the county snared a spot on the state's fastest-growing list, the ice cream shop was a place where milky white vanilla slid down dirty hands and onto the ground, where Little League teams celebrated victories and commiserated after their losses, where neighbors shared a treat and stories.
Over the past 50 years or so, the ice cream shop has had numerous incarnations. The latest one, Mrs. Drake hopes, summons visions of yesterday.
“This is the old Mason, the small-town Mason,” said Mrs. Drake. “That's what's neat about the shop. It's a place where people can go and talk with their neighbors.”
Mrs. Drake, her husband, Bob, and sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Jim Spaeth, purchased the ice cream shop, known as Boomerangs, in February. They've renovated and renamed it and plan to open in the first full week of April.
“I've always wanted to do something like this,” Mrs. Drake said. “What a neat place just to love people.”
Finding a new name stirred debate among the four business partners. Kids and friends made suggestions, and one daughter even called about 40 people to conduct market research.
In the end, the foursome settled on tradition and the ice cream shop's old nickname — “The Whippy Dip.” Incorporating the sisters' maiden name, the shop will open as Tucker's Whippy Dip.
The Drakes and Spaeths are expanding the menu to include sandwiches, frozen lemonade and cappuccino.
“I've eaten an awful lot of ice cream cones at that place,” said Mr. Spaeth. His day job is Warren County clerk of courts.
He's a little worried about the night job at the ice cream shop: “I don't know if I can do that twist thing with the cone,” he joked.
Donna Pennington said she would give him some pointers. Her parents, Mae and Marvin Conover, owned the ice cream shop for 11 years.
Mrs. Drake said she hopes people will be patient during the first few weeks while the foursome works out the kinks of opening a business.
She has some experience: Thirty years ago, Mrs. Drake was at the same counter, serving ice cream cones.
She expects to easily fall back into the old twirling technique.
After all, now Mrs. Drake will be serving equal parts of ice cream and nostalgia.
Teens' coins add up to pride, hope
Repeat DUI offender receives 28 years
Hit-run victim could go home soon
I-71 work draws outcry
Argosy underpaid taxes
Cincinnati fails to keep black doctors
Decision on Justin appeal could be made today
Shooting victim's family sues city, officers
Antifreeze causes fumes at high school
Big names push direct-elect mayor plan
Hamilton neighbors resent topless bar
McGuffey deserves stamp, too, fans say
Riverfront forums share single theme
Holocaust survivor writes of freedom
Pops moves into 2000 with diverse shows, stars
Shark invasion of Newport begins
I-Team chief did fine work at Channel 9
Mariemont youth dies in fall at gorge; alcohol suspected
Second dose of 'blue moons'
Callery to run for mayor in Covington
Church says it lacks information on body
Historic observatory in new hands
Job interview questions backed
No bond for suspect in girlfriend's slaying
Prosecutors to appeal ruling in Sess case
Psychologist under review
Sculpture's message lost
Sense of identity sought for cities
Taft signs first law for 20,000 tutors
TRISTATE DIGEST
Trustees object to sign overload
UC to OK service workers' contract
Whippy Dip stirs Mason nostalgia
