Penn Township couple readies to open ice cream shop in Murrysville

A Penn Township couple is opening a franchise of a popular Pittsburgh-based ice cream maker.

Brian and Lori McBarron will operate the 10th location of Millie’s Homemade Ice Cream at the Blue Spruce Shoppes in Murrysville.

“It’s close to home,” said Lori McBarron of Harrison City. “With the traffic that comes through and the other restaurants nearby, it works well.”

It marks continued growth for Millie’s, which initially marketed its ice cream to restaurants and grocery stores and opened a storefont in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood in 2016.

The McBarrons have operated one of Millie’s food trucks, and are excited to have a brick-and-mortar location.

“It’s very visible and accessible,” Brian McBarron said. “There’s no specific dessert places here, and people can walk here after dinner.”

Lori said she’s been spreading the word about new location at catering events she’s taken part in.

“A lot of local businesses have also reached out,” she said. “We’re going to be at the Goddard School here in the shopping center for the first day of spring.”

Company founder Chad Townsend has created a wide palette of flavors over the years with an eye toward seasonal ingredients, sometimes swapping shelf life for fresh, ripe fruit that Townsend said provides a better flavor and texture in a product like sorbet.

Brian said he and Lori like being able to tell customers that their product is sourced largely from local suppliers.

“It’s great that the dairy comes from Twin Brook Farms in Washington,” he said. “We’re Pittsburghers and we want to support other local businesses.”

The McBarrons are hoping to have the new location up and running mid-to-late May.

For more information, visit www.MilliesHomemade.com.