OPENING DAY IN LOVELAND, OHIO

Ice Cream at Loveland Dairy Whip

means springtime in Loveland

By Chuck Gibson

LOVELAND, OH (February 26, 2021)  – Sunshine, smiles and ICE CREAM were served up as Loveland Dairy Whip (LDW) served up the first soft-serve cones of the season today.

I can’t say what the skies looked like all around Cincinnati at 2 p.m. today, but I can tell you for sure blue skies were lit by a glistening sunshine above the crowd awaiting Opening Day Ice Cream at the LDW. There was a new face at the front of the line awaiting that first cone of the season a half hour before the announced 2 p.m. opening. Emily Kiehl wore a bright smile as she proudly took her first-in-line position at the window.

 “This will be the highlight of my week, year, and probably greatest achievement ever,” said Kiehl who is a 2018 graduate of Loveland High School. “This is the best ice cream. I feel like it’s a title to hold; to have first ice cream from the whippy did, the Loveland Dairy Whip.”

Smiling right along with her – even if only second in line – was her friend Claudia Bow. Both planned to keep it simple with Emily planning to order up a small plain vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles and Claudia just going for a plain chocolate cone.

“Second is just as good, if not better,” said Bow. “I like keeping her happy.”

Both planned to keep their order simple with Emily planning a small vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles and Bow ordering a plain chocolate cone.

“Plain chocolate,” Bow said. “Chocolate makes me happy.”

It must have made Emily happy too. She changed her order from rainbow sprinkles to chocolate sprinkles on her plain vanilla cone. No matter, it was still the first “Whippy Dip” cone out the window for the Loveland Dairy Whip 2021 Season.

On the 66th Opening Day for Loveland Dairy Whip, owners Teresa Flint-Morgan and Rick Morgan (29th year for the Morgan’s) didn’t make any surprise changes for the season. Despite the pandemic of the past year, they were even able to keep prices the same – no increase in prices. Only change on Opening Day this year was seeing Teresa seated – yes seated – and taking orders at the drive-thru window due to a leg injury and doctor’s orders. Rick had to pick up the slack working with fifth year LDW veteran Caroline Gott to fill those Opening Day ice cream orders.

“We’ll hire a bunch,” said Morgan. “The ‘oldies’ are off to college and we’re hurting for help right now. It was a great opening, busier than last year. The Oasis crew came down and the Valentine Ladies came down.”

They were not the only familiar faces in line. Tony Westley showed up with family and friends Lola Jones, Abby and Matt Charleson all wearing special made to order “Loveland Dairy Whip – Opening Day – Feb 26, 2K21 t-shirts” . Tony was even wearing a 2015 LDW Opening Day t-shirt under the new one for this year. Following close behind the Westley group was Art Jarvis with his daughter Katelyn, his son Austin and first-timer puppy Willow. Todd Osborne, maybe most familiar was also among all the familiar faces wearing smiles, enjoying some sun, and loving their LDW ice cream even if it was a bit chilly out

“It’s a good fun business,” said Pat Furterer, one of the 10 Valentine Ladies on hand for the festive occasion. “I’m glad to see it open again. Why not have an ice cream on a chilly day. My favorite is root beer float.”

Jeannie Shumaker, 2021 Valentine Lady was excited to be among the group of Valentine Ladies for the first time. She’s been coming to the Loveland Dairy Whip since she was in high school and they know her favorite is chocolate kiddie cone with chocolate dip top.

“I used to drive by and see them here and thought I would never be one of them,” said Shumaker. “Here I am. It means a lot cause I’m representing my town again.”

“Thank you to the customers,” said Rick Morgan. “They come back every year. We have gobs of good customers. We have good customers.”

CLICK HERE to visit the Loveland Dairy Whip online