Afton creamery to reopen with slightly new name

AFTON - The Sweet Afton Creamery is no more. Hello to the Afton Sweet Creamery.

The name change is a slight one, but it’s representative of the changes the Afton creamery will have as it enters the summer with new owners. Even with a new air, the creamery promises the same tradition will be preserved; it might just be a little different.

Yet, even with a slightly new name, the tradition of the creamery will still be preserved as the creamery plans to open today for the summer.

The creamery will be open today, May 15, from 3 to 8 p.m. for a shorter day before expanding their hours, running from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 3 to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Ownership for the creamery has transferred to Afton locals Mindy and David Jones, who will now run the creamery during the summer season and potentially beyond summer.

Transferring ownership happened through fortunate circumstances. Mindy said she was looking for space for a personal greenhouse and asked the previous owners of the creamery, Terrinda and Jerry McIntire, if she could buy space behind the property.

Terrinda returned with a different offer: to purchase the whole property. As a grandparent, Terrinda chose retirement to spend more time with her family. She was looking for new ownership to continue the Afton tradition. The Joneses said yes.

As Mindy handled the transition between owners, she wanted to make sure she was adhering to McIntire’s original vision of the creamery, a family-friendly spot in the summer to grab a bite or treat.

“It’s the gathering place,” Mindy said. “This town has the small community charm. When [Terrinda] opened [the creamery], I think it was just something that was missing here in the summertime, especially with the park and the splash pad. It gave the community a place... to grab something to eat or drink at night.”

All expectations should be the same for the Afton Sweet Creamery. The Jones’s version of the creamery will still hire local teens for the running of the business. Vendors remain the same, and the menu Afton remembers will be mostly intact.

“It’s going to be pretty close to how Terrinda ran it,” Mindy said. “You may see some menu changes a little bit... pretty close to what you saw in the past.”

As the business adapts to new management, Mindy said she looks forward to giving her staff the chance to experiment with the menu, bringing a creative spirit to the traditional creamery. Beyond just new menu items, Mindy said there’s potential for the creamery to run outside of summer, although those plans aren’t finalized.

During the transition of ownership, Mindy said she’s been supported by the Afton community as they prepared for their opening. Excitement for the opening has been a consistent reminder for the Jones, joking how they “can’t go anywhere” without a question about the opening date.

“We laugh about it, but it’s also heartwarming knowing there’s that much support out there and people waiting for us to get the doors open,” Mindy said.

More information on the creamery and other updates can be found on the Afton Sweet Creamery Facebook page.