Tag Archives: anna boone

Allison Werner, Anna Boone, Features

Local ice cream shops bring in crowds

Leave a comment

Berry Twist continues tradition at new location

By Anna Boone and Allison Werner

The sun beats down as people stand in line at Berry Twist, waiting for their opportunity to order their favorite treat. Colorful posters advertise the popular choices in the large, new windows. A range of people; including locals, students, and even a young baseball team, enjoy their delicacies under the red and blue umbrellas.

Berry Twist, a small ice cream store and restaurant located in Floyds Knobs, has been a hot spot in the community for years. It offers a variety of entrees, including soft pretzels, hot dogs, corn dogs, barbecue sandwiches, and taco salad. In addition to these items, Berry Twist is famous for its frozen treats. They serve their own sherbet, sundaes, floats, and slushies, along with their signature Arctic Swirls. Berry Twist also offers non-fat and sugar-free yogurt for the health-conscious.

On Wednesday, May 25, Berry Twist uprooted its business and moved down the street to a new location after remaining in the original building since it opened in 1977. The new building, located at 3660 Paoli Pike Unit#1,has a drive thru, which is a new addition to the business.

“I like the new location because you can eat outside and you still have a drive thru,” said junior Shawn Baumann.

Sophomore Maria Noyes agrees with Baumann, but still misses aspects of the old location.

“I feel that the new location is more convenient because of the drive thru, but I have so many memories from the old one. I also liked the grass area at the old one,” said Noyes.

Senior Alyana Ladha said the move has generated more business and is helpful because there is more space to work in. Ladha has been an employee at Berry Twist for four years.

“[I started working there because] it was close to home. I’ve always loved ice cream and it seemed like a good fit,” said Ladha.

One of Berry Twist’s most popular items is their Arctic Swirls. Offered in 12 different flavors with six more flavors in the Signature Swirl, the Arctic Swirl is a blend of soft serve with the flavor of choice.

“My favorite item on the menu is the Oreo Arctic Swirl,” said Baumann. This is also the treat of preference for Noyes.

Despite the recent changes Berry Twist has undergone, it still keeps the original tradition alive.

“We’re local and homegrown. Everyone who comes to Berry Twist has been coming there for most of their childhood and now their children’s childhood,” said Ladha.

Polly’s Freeze serves generations of ice cream-lovers

By Rebekah Landers

Stepping into Polly’s Freeze is like stepping into a childhood memory. The squeals of little children flood the air, the drippy sweet icecream is piled on top of a crisp cone, the building is surrounded by trees and little concrete benches giving it a country home-like environment. Polly’s Freeze has been in operation since the early 1950’s and not many changes have been made.

Elmer and Polly Glietz bought the property in 1952 originally for their filling station, or gas station, which they moved from downtown Louisville. They ran it for a few years until Polly decided she wanted to run an ice cream and food stand, The Glietz’s ran it for many years until they decided to hand down their shop to their children. Donna and her husband, Paul Eisert, took the shop under their wing making it what it is today.

In 2009 the Eisert’s decided to retire and honor one of the Polly’s Freeze loyal family members with the manager position. Penny Boder ran Polly’s with her husband until 2011 when they decided to pursue something else.The manager position was then passed to experienced employee’s Mike and Cara Rothrock at the beginning of 2011.

Even after years of being passed down, and times changing, the warm customer service and pleasant environment still is present at today’s Polly’s Freeze.

“Everyone is so friendly every time we come here,” said customer Brandy K. “We have so many memories here. I used to come here when I was a kid and now I take my kids.”

Growing up to Polly’s is a memory that many high schoolers have experienced and share with their parents.

Lisa Smith said, “I remember back 23 years ago coming here with my teenage group of friends and now I bring my teenage daughter to hang out with her friends.”

A father, Jon, brings his boys to get ice cream after every baseball game his kids win.

An older couple, Mary and Denny Voelker, said they both have gone to Polly’s for 50 years.

Denny said, “I went here as a child, then we took our children, now we take our grandchildren.”

“It’s such a wonderful environment and the kids can play, everything is just so nice,” said Mary.

The couple shared stories of their memories and how they grew up around Polly’s, and right before they were just about to leave, Mary said, “I really hope it continues to stay this way because it is an icon to this area.”

Customers do not have anything negative to say about the establishment. Some customers argue that the prices are too high, but many others are happy with their continued visits.

Jon said, “The prices are perfect and for the quality of the food they could even be raised.”

Unanimously, the one thing people liked best was the pleasant and happy atmosphere.

Vickie B, an older woman from New Albany, said, “I wouldn’t care if the food tasted like garbage, the wonderful environment is a treat itself.”

Sophomore Tierney Flaherty said, “I’ve never been to Berry Twist, don’t have a reason to with Polly’s being so good.”

Polly’s Freeze offers a loving, warm, family environment. Polly’s is open Monday through Friday 10:30-10:00 and until 10:30 on the weekends. To enjoy the heritage and delicious treats of Polly’s freeze turn left on State Road 62 keep straight for about a mile and a half and look for the iconic neon parrot.

 [polldaddy poll=5165892]

Columns, Forum

Just go with it

1 Comment

 By Anna Boone

Throughout my life, I have developed one motto that seems to work for me best: Do not over-think it.

I can completely overanalyze my situations until it causes me physical and mental anguish happened not too long ago. Just like any other morning, I was up before the sun and contentedly munching away on my Bite-Sized Frosted Wheaties when I heard a cat yowl outside the window. I put down my spoon and began to think.

I cannot remember adults saying in grade school that I had an overactive imagination, because I was never too good at imagining different worlds or making up strange creatures in my head. I was, however, amazing at making up possibilities that could actually happen. These possibilities can occasionally help me because they give me a very insightful look on what I believe the outcomes of my choices will be. Usually, however, I just begin picturing the very worst thing that could happen. So although I wasn’t scared when I first heard the cat, I soon was frightened after I convinced myself an ex-convict was outside slowly cutting off its tail.

I jumped back from the table, let out a huge, ear-splitting shriek, and ran, sobbing uncontrollably, down the hallway. I busted down my parents’ doorway and on my way in slammed my hip into their dresser. I collapsed on the floor and just bawled. While my parents tried to make sense of the overly-emotional mess in their room, the rational part of my brain tried to make sense of how I could completely overreact to something that hadn’t even scared me originally.

Just like the huge purple bruise on my side, the lesson I learned from that particular incident didn’t fade for some time. Whenever I found it difficult to believe that I managed to convince myself of those crazy delusions all I had to do was poke my right hip and the throbbing would remind me that I certainly did believe it a little too well.

This is not the only incident where I have over-thought the situation, although, thankfully, it is the most extreme case. I am a very talkative person and this caused quite a few notes to be sent home with me in grade school. If I was lucky the note would come at the end of the day so I couldn’t sit in my seat and picture the reactions of my parents. If I wasn’t so lucky, then I would spend the whole day wondering how much time they would give me to pack before they kicked me out the door. Of course this never happened, but no matter how unreasonable my scenarios became I still would spend my schoolday bent over with the heavy feeling of guilt in my stomach.

Eventually I realized no matter what I did, things had a way of working themselves out. There was no point in imagining tons of different realities when none of them would even matter or could have affected my breakfast that fateful morning. Even if I had talked all the time the teacher was talking, there was nothing I could now do that would change the piece of paper demanding my parents’ signature I was now carrying in my bookbag.

Sometimes I still get caught up in the moment and begin thinking way too hard. I have to remind myself just to take a deep breath and slow down. Whenever my mind starts racing ahead thinking of the worst, I just close my eyes and force myself to think of the good too. I cannot change the outcomes. I can only forgive myself, remember the lesson that life has given me, and keep on moving forward with a positive outlook and bruise-free body.