Kline's Dairy Bar facts for kids
Kline's Dairy Bar is a popular ice cream shop with four locations in Virginia, United States. It started in 1943 in downtown Harrisonburg, right in the Kline family's home. This shop uses a special, old-fashioned way to make ice cream called "continuous freeze." This method adds less air to the ice cream as it freezes. This makes the ice cream very thick and creamy, almost like old-fashioned frozen custard. Because this way of making ice cream takes more time, Kline's shops usually offer only three flavors each week. They let their customers know the weekly flavors on their website and Twitter page.
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How Kline's Dairy Bar Started
In 1943, John Kline asked his father, Grover Kline, for help to open Kline's Frozen Custard. They began by selling their ice cream from a window at their home. John later married Bess, who worked nearby. Bess became well-known to customers as she worked the window for many years. She was truly the face of the shop.
When John Kline passed away in 1974, Bess sold the business to Sam Fletcher. Bess kept working at the shop, even after Fletcher sold it to Mike Arehart in 1979. Mike Arehart bought the business with help from his father, Dick Arehart. Bess stayed on to teach Mike how everything worked. Mike Arehart still owns the two Kline's locations in Harrisonburg. He has always kept the original traditions of the business alive.
Mike Arehart's sister, Kim Arehart, joined the business in 1979 after college. She helped Kline's grow to a new city, Staunton, Virginia, in 1997. In 2008, she opened another store in Waynesboro, Virginia. Today, Mike Arehart owns the two shops in Harrisonburg. Kim Arehart owns the two other locations in Virginia. Both Mike and Kim continue to use the original ice cream making style. Kim explains that this old-fashioned method makes Kline's special. She says, "This is our niche, we understand it, and we've gotten very good at it."
How Kline's Makes Ice Cream
Kline's Dairy Bar uses a special method called "continuous freeze." This way of making ice cream is very rare, especially on the East Coast. In this method, the ice cream is frozen and mixed at the same time. Very little air is added during this process. This is different from the more common "soft-serve" method. Soft-serve machines churn the ice cream and add a lot of air while it freezes. Big ice cream chains like Dairy Queen use the soft-serve method.
Because Kline's uses the continuous freeze method, they make smaller batches of ice cream. Their ice cream is much denser because it has less air. This also means there's more milk, fruit, and flavor in every cup or cone. Each batch of continuous freeze ice cream takes about two minutes to make. However, it doesn't make as much ice cream as the soft-serve method. The machines slowly push out the final product, making only about 10 gallons an hour. Even though it takes more time and effort, Kline's makes fresh ice cream every single day.
Weekly Flavors
Since Kline's makes their ice cream fresh every morning, and it takes a while, they have a special flavor each week. They always offer chocolate and vanilla. Then, they rotate in one special flavor. This helps them stand out from bigger ice cream chains. They keep their menu simple with these three flavors, plus milkshakes and sundaes.
The special flavor of the week is chosen from 12 regular favorites. These include flavors like peanut butter, black raspberry, and Oreo. You can find out the special flavor on Kline's website, their Twitter page, or on a sign outside the shop. Customers order their ice cream at a walk-up window. This is similar to how John Kline first sold ice cream from his family home in 1943. After ordering, customers can enjoy their treats on nearby benches and tables.
Hog Wild BBQ
When Kim Arehart opened Kline's in Staunton, Virginia, in 1997, she also opened a restaurant called Hog Wild BBQ. This is the only Kline's location that offers more than just ice cream. Hog Wild BBQ serves Carolina-style barbecue, hot dogs, burgers, and other side dishes. It has become well-known in Staunton for selling barbecue by the pound at good prices. Hog Wild BBQ can also provide food for events with up to 200 people.
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