TURNERS FALLS — The Country Creemee is not in the country anymore.
The popular soft-serve ice cream destination is opening in a new downtown Turners Falls location on Saturday — despite this week’s wintery rebound. Doors will open at 11 a.m.
Creemee owners are spending this week setting up in the storefront at 52 Avenue A, formerly an ice cream establishment called Twisters, which has closed.
The Creemee owners left the old location on Millers Falls Road near the Turners Falls Airport after the property owner, Hillside Plastics, announced that it is expanding operations and will use the property for extra parking.
The owner of Hillside Plastics, Peter Haas, donated the ice cream dispensing equipment the business had been using for the new location.
While the tradition at the old location of sitting out in the sun and watching the planes pass overhead may be over, the owners are looking forward to establishing new traditions.
“It’s looking good. We’re excited,” said business owner Cynthia Ahearn. The biggest obstacle, she said, is parking.
“We will make it work, we have to,” said Ahearn. Customers can use a public parking lot in back of the Discovery Center, not far from the Creemee’s new location.
The new location is near Unity Park. Customers could order a grinder before going to a ball game and then stop back into the Creemee for a sweet snack after the game, said Ahearn.
Business owners are confident that their customers, who would drop by for hot dogs and homemade baked beans, will follow them to the new location.