King’s celebrates 50 years of scoops
There are only a few sure-fired things you can count on. One of those is the taste of King's Homemade Ice Cream, which has remained a favorite in Milton and Lewes for 50 years.
The shops in Milton and Lewes are now being run by a third generation of the King family.
Earl King started the business in 1972, when he bought a general store in downtown Milton. It didn't take him long to devote all of his energy to perfecting ice cream recipes in an effort to provide the Eastern Shore's Best, which is still the company's goal and motto.
The Milton shop, at 302 Union St., is housed in the oldest existing commercial building in Sussex County, dating back to 1830.
The original Lewes shop opened in a space at the Hotel Rodney building across the street from its current location at 201 Second St. It's not uncommon to see long lines of ice cream lovers spill out the door of the Lewes shop on warm evenings.
King's operated shops for a short time in Milford and Rehoboth Beach.
The family business thrived for nearly a decade in Milton when Earl's son Tom and his wife Chris opened a Lewes shop in 1981.
In 2004, Tom and Chris' daughter Chelsea and her husband Rudy Spoor joined the family business. Rudy took over manufacturing the ice cream and managing the two shops. In 2010, the couple became owners of the business.
“It's a local business, which is a landmark,” said Rudy. “And through the generations, the quality has been consistent.”
King's has built a strong foundation in both communities because of its ongoing support of worthwhile activities and events. Hundreds of young people in the Lewes and Milton area have held summer jobs at King’s.
Rudy and Chelsea's children, Aidan, Kiran and Simone, also play a vital role in running the shops.
Earl passed away in 2000, and Tom passed away after a two-year battle with cancer Nov. 25, 2017.
Where the magic happens
King's Ice Cream is made in the back shop of the Milton store. It's there that Rudy does his magic turning butterfat milk into delicious ice cream. Flavorings such as fruits, nuts and candies are added as the mixture begins to freeze. The ice cream is pulled from the freezer at the precise moment to ensure quality and consistency. Every tub is then stored in a hardening freezer for 24 hours before it's ready to be served.
Rudy said during the summer season, King's serves up to 240 three-gallon tubs of ice cream each week. Each tub contains nearly 30 scoops of ice cream, so, doing the math, King’s serves about 7,200 scoops per week.
The ice cream is also fresh, ending up in a cone in two to three days.
It was Rudy's Dutch heritage that helped create one of King’s favorite flavors. To commemorate the Lewes 375th anniversary celebration in 2006, King’s offered Dutch chocolate ice cream.
Today, the shops feature 23 flavors – including all the traditionals, and Oh Cookie and Funfetti – with seven rotating flavors.
The King's shops also feature seasonal favorites such as peach, pumpkin and Dutch apple.
The menu, which has not changed significantly in 50 years, includes ice cream, sherbets, yogurts, sundaes with 11 toppings, milkshakes, floats, and, of course, banana splits.
Delaware Today magazine put King's in The Best of Delaware Hall of Fame for consistently winning best ice cream in the state year after year.
The Milton shop is open noon to 9 p.m. on weekends and 4 to 9 p.m. weekdays and the Lewes shop is open from 1 to 9 p.m weekdays and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends.
