It’s a big week for ice cream news in Potomac, as one longtime local business is moving out and another is moving in.
Sprinkles, a fixture in Potomac Village since 1989, will scoop its last cones at the end of June. Owners Courtney and John Spaeth, who bought the already-struggling business just before the pandemic, say the economics of running an independent ice cream shop have only gotten tougher over the past six years. From Covid and supply chain disruptions to equipment repairs and government tariffs, Sprinkles has faced one challenge after another. Eventually, the couple decided to cut their losses. “We loved the store, and we put so much of our heart and soul into it, but it has lost money for years,” Courtney Spaeth says. “There’s only so much that we as business owners can do.” Moving into the space after Sprinkles closes: Playa Bowls.
While Potomac is losing one frozen treat destination, it’s also gaining another: Carmen’s Italian Ice just opened its newest location at Cabin John Village. The popular local business, which got its start in Rockville 25 years ago, serves up shakes, frozen custard, Italian ice and the layered combination know as a gelati. At Cabin John, you’ll find Carmen’s inside the mini-mall near Colony Grill. There’s plenty of indoor seating near the ordering window, or you can take your treat outside to the shopping center’s backyard gathering space.
More on this: New Carmen’s for Potomac
