Always Ice Cream Company Set To Open Scoop Shop In Severna Park

Severna Park was our number-one choice from day one ... We would walk down the (B&A) Trail from Severn and go to Jenos, go to Rita’s, to other stores growing up – so we always wanted to be in Severna Park.”

Mark Cohen

Brothers Mark and Adam Cohen had always dreamed of owning an ice cream store. Growing up in Arnold, their family frequented the Outer Banks for vacation, and hitting up their favorite ice cream shop was a top priority every year.

At home, the Cohens would go downtown to Annapolis Ice Cream Company for sweet treats. Mark’s favorite flavor there was peanut butter Oreo, and it still is today. The only difference? Their father, Ross Cohen, purchased the beloved Annapolis scoop shop in 2019, and the whole family now runs the business, with the brothers at the forefront.

Ross helps with inventory and dry goods, Mark oversees stores and hiring, Adam manages the kitchen side of things, and their mom, Robin, is their professional taste tester. Adam’s wife, Kelsey, and Mark’s fiancé, Brooke, are involved as well. And, of course, Mark’s dog, Fred, is the official pup-cup taster at grand openings.

The Cohens established a rapidly expanding brand, Always Ice Cream Company, inviting customers to “Work Hard. Play Hard. Eat Ice Cream.” In addition to the downtown location, they have opened scoop shops in West Annapolis, Edgewater, Crofton and Baltimore. They also acquired the Daily Scoop in Pasadena and operate a food truck that can be spotted roaming the county or rented for special occasions.

And this June, they are set to open their seventh location – right in the heart of Severna Park. With Adam and Mark being third-generation Severn School graduates – Ross graduated in 1976 and their grandfather, Robert, graduated in 1944 – Severna Park is an intimately familiar community.

“Severna Park was our number-one choice from day one,” Mark said of the newest location. “We would walk down the (B&A) Trail from Severn and go to Jenos, go to Rita’s, to other stores growing up – so we always wanted to be in Severna Park. We knew it was a great market; we knew a lot of people in Severna Park supported us in West Annapolis and downtown. But, there’s not much open space in Severna Park, so we were lucky enough to find this spot.”

The newest “spot” for Always Ice Cream is located at 600 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard, mere steps away from the B&A Trail.

There, they will dish up their many popular – and occasionally out-of-the-box – flavors of “hand-crafted, ultra-premium ice cream using wholesome and uncomplicated ingredients.”

The Cohens believe that if deciding on an ice cream flavor was easy, it wouldn’t be fun. And the choice can prove to be a difficult one: Adam shared that the downtown Annapolis location offers 50 flavors at a time, and the other Always Ice Cream shops have 26 on the menu. They have a core 20 or so flavors that are always in the mix – favorites like cookie monster, peanut butter Oreo, and brownie batter – but in total, they consistently rotate about 125 flavors and estimate they’ve made at least 200 if not 250 unique flavors over the years.

Adam admits he has simpler tastes; his favorites are salted caramel, vanilla and chocolate. But with so many flavors on rotation, including vegan and dairy-free options made with oat milk, there’s something for everyone.

“We try to use as many real ingredients as possible,” Adam shared. “The pies are real pies. We try to use as little flavorings (or) additives as we can. We use super premium ice cream mix … so it’s really creamy, rich, has nice consistency and flavor.”

Birthday cake ice cream is made with whole birthday cakes. Cheesecake ice cream is made with cheesecakes. Banana bread ice cream is made with – you guessed it – whole loaves of banana bread.

Throughout the year, the team at Always Ice Cream mixes up unique flavors to support organizations in the community. They’ve donated a portion of proceeds from these specialty ice creams to Anne Arundel County public libraries, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, and Anne Arundel County Public Schools. They also host frequent spirit nights and consider themselves blessed to be able to give back.

“That’s one thing we pride ourselves on, giving back to the community,” Mark said, adding that they take pride in “having the best ice cream and the best customer service” as well.

Local partnerships are key for Always Ice Cream Company, too. The coffee ice cream is made with Rise Up coffee. Always Ice Cream collaborates on unique flavors that are available at Lewnes’ Steakhouse, 100 Lots, VIN 909, Garten, Park Tavern, Fishpaws Marketplace and more. Pints of its most popular flavors are available up and down the Eastern Seaboard as well, from Virginia to Maine, and locally at Graul’s Market and Green Valley Marketplace.

The Cohens look forward to welcoming the Severna Park community to their new store in June. They’ve hired a staff largely comprised of students from Severna Park High School, Broadneck High School, Severn School and Anne Arundel Community College.

The newest scoop shop will feature their signature bold black, green and white décor, with hand-painted murals and skateboards on the walls. It will also offer plenty of indoor seating, and four-legged friends are welcome. Stay tuned to their social media pages for an official opening date.

In the fall, Always Ice Cream will open an eighth shop in Prince Frederick, inviting Calvert County residents to “scoop local,” too.

To learn more about Always Ice Cream Company, go to www.alwaysicecreamcompany.com.