Nick Charlap’s Ice Cream is a third-generation family-owned/operated business. In 1926 Nick’s grandfather purchased a small milk plant in Black Rock and Nick says they had all this surplus of cream left over and they decided to make ice cream. Nick says, “They bought a small machine, a little 10x10 freezer, and away they went with vanilla, chocolate and a few weeks later they tried strawberry and they were able to perfect that, and they ran only about 100 – 150 gallons a week at that time.”
They have five locations, and no two locations are the same. Each location has something that make them a little unique. The newest location on Elmwood also has hamburgers and hotdogs. Nick says, “They have this sauce that people just love, and we were like how do we make this? We did some homework and we found out how to find it. We did find it and we still carry it today.”
Nick says, “The Hamburg location, when we bought it was probably like 90% custard and they really didn’t have much hard ice cream, and with me making all hard ice cream, we have to change it up a little bit, so we added some hard ice cream but we kept all those custard flavors that they love and a flavor burst system that injects eight different flavors into their custard.”
The Angola location they has nine different dip coats. They have everything from peanut butter to butterscotch, blue raspberry, cherry and more.
In Boston, Nick says, “we are just a little old fashion, and we aren’t going to change it at all.” It has a 50’s motif.
The West Seneca location is known for its homemade hot fudge. Nick says, “It not only has ice cream in it and all those great flavors and custard, but it is also home to Sweets on the Hill which my wife MaryBeth has an amazing vision for the chocolate shop and all the little trinkets that go in there. She does an amazing job.”
