Scooping up a family venture
Store celebrates grand opening
Store celebrates grand opening

By Tami Althoff

Published: March 5, 2008

NORMAN — When Norman couple Bob and Judy Rollins decided to open a business, they began looking for something that would bring their family closer together. Ice cream seemed like a natural choice.

After all, Bob Rollins has been a fan of the sweet treat ever since he can remember.

"My first experience with ice cream was when I was a little boy. We would make homemade ice cream all the time because my father was a big ice cream eater,” he said. "I guess I've taken after him.”

Judy Rollins said it got to a point where she and her husband went out for ice cream every night. Finally, she suggested they open an ice cream store. After looking at several options, the Rollins bought a Maggie Moo's Ice Cream and Treatery franchise in 2006.

The store opened late last summer at 1200 12th Avenue SE, the lone tenant in the East Village Complex at 12th Avenue SE and Lindsey Street. They'll hold a long overdue grand opening celebration from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday at the store.

The festivities will include a daylong schedule of activities, including a visit from clowns Stubbles and Giggles, who will provide face painting and balloon characters from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., a bounce house, chalk writing on the patio, hourly giveaways and, of course, a visit from Maggie Moo.

Guests will have the opportunity to sample a new line of cupcakes and coffee ice cream drinks, and celebrity scoopers will be on hand throughout day including Miss Oklahoma Teen USA Taylor Gorton, Yard Dawgs cheerleaders and Norman city council members. Former OU kicker Garrett Hartley and other OU athletes also will be there signing autographs.

In addition to the festivities, 10 percent of Saturday's sales will be donated to the J.D. McCarty Center. Giving back to the community is something Maggie Moo's tries to do on a regular basis, Judy Rollins said.

"Although we are celebrating our grand opening on Saturday, most importantly we will be hard at work providing for the McCarty Center,” Judy Rollins said. "This is the reason we decided to open and run a family business — so we can give to the community and most of all serve others.”

The business is, indeed, a family affair.

The Rollins' daughter, Melissa Rice, serves as cake decorator and part-time manager, while her husband Jacob Rice, former deep snapper for the University of Oklahoma football team, dishes out treats for the customers. The Rollins' son, Jeremy Rollins, serves as general manager and chief ice cream maker, while the Rice's 16-month-old daughter, Keegan serves as official taster.

"Her favorite flavor is strawberry, although she'll eat them all,” Melissa Rice said.

Also helping out is family friend Bradley Snow, who serves as evening and weekend manager.

The Rollins said everything at Maggie Moo's, from the ice cream to the cones to the cupcakes and hand-decorated custom cakes, is made in the store. Maggie Moo's also offers catering for any occasion.

"When we first started this business, we asked where we could make the biggest impact on the community,” Judy Rollins said. "Here we're able to employ college kids and high school kids, and we have our regular customers, some who come in almost every day. We feel really blessed to be here. ”

The Rollins said since Maggie Moo's is all about friendly service (everyone who walks through the doors is greeted with a smile), they try to keep favorites on hand for their regulars.

"We have one lady who comes in and always orders a large strawberry cone. We always add extra strawberry syrup to hers. There's another lady who likes mint chocolate, so we always keep a pint in the refrigerator in case she stops by,” Judy Rollins said. "The manager of Taco Bell down the street likes pistachios, so we try to make sure we always have pistachios in the store for him.”

The Rollins feel their personalized service sets them apart from most ice cream stores, and customers agree.

"We live down the street, and drive by here all the time. We finally decided to stop in today,” Stacy Sebastian of Norman said Monday.

She tried a peanut butter and chocolate flavor in a waffle cone, while her friend Kyle Dumbleton, also of Norman, sampled red velvet cake in a cup.

"The ice cream is good, and the people here are really nice,” she said.

Anthony and Andrea Ryan, there with there 10-month-old grandson Preston, also were impressed.

Andrea Ryan ordered a chocolate better batter and cheesecake, while Anthony Ryan settled on cotton candy with cheesecake and gummy bears.

"It was actually really good,” Andrea Ryan said.

Bob Rollins said Anthony Ryan's combination isn't the strangest he's seen.

"We get a lot of odd combinations,” he said. "Just the other day someone asked for espresso bean and mint, which I thought was an odd combination.”

Bob Rollins also warned that the bright blue cotton candy flavor is not for everyone, although he said it's popular with children,

"It's rich, rich, rich,” he said.

Nonetheless, Maggie Moo's is sure to have a flavor to please everyone, he said.

"I had a favorite flavor when I first opened up,” he said. "Now, I have several.”

Maggie Moo's is open from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and noon to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. For more information, to order a custom cake or to have an event catered, call 701-1868.

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