A news release from Rusty’s Ice Cream announcing their grand opening tomorrow.
Rusty’s Ice Cream’s grand opening is this Saturday
Fort Wayne, Indiana (April 30, 2021) — Rusty’s Ice Cream, which recently opened its new 80s-themed ice cream store in northern Fort Wayne, will be hosting a Grand Opening celebration this Saturday, May 1, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The store, located at 9171 Lima Road, in the White Swan Plaza, is owned by local entrepreneurs Rusty Ammerman and Angela Lanning, in partnership with local architect Craig Armstrong. Rusty’s Ice Cream features super-premium ice cream and a unique atmosphere that take customers back to the eclectic decade of the 1980s.
The Grand Opening celebration this Saturday will feature a “Back to the 80s” theme to coincide with the store’s décor. The walls of the ice cream shop are adorned with brightly-colored graphics associated with the period. You’ll see fluorescent pinks, blues, greens and yellows in the various geometric graphics, wall colors and floor tiles. There’s a jukebox full of 1980s music in one corner, a shelf featuring vintage toys and memorabilia, restaurant booths, 80s-inspired pop-culture wall posters, and black-light glowing imagery in the bathroom.
At Saturday’s festivities, customers can take a selfie with Back to the Future’s “Doc” Brown, and see the DeLorean time machine as well witness as a break-dancing demonstration. Customers coming to the shop in costume can compete for ice cream prizes, and there will be Grand Opening specials available at a discount.
Rusty’s features super-premium homemade ice cream imported from Goody’s Candy Shop in Anderson. The “super” designation means the ice cream is dense and super rich; according to FDA regulations, it must contain at least 14 to 16 percent milk-fat. The ice cream comes in a variety of custom flavors with names reminiscent of the 1980s, and a selection of homemade toppings. The hard-dipped ice cream is available in sundaes, a “Banana-Rama” banana split, and milkshakes. Customers can also request soft-textured ice cream, and there are dairy-free and sugar-free options as well.
Ammerman and Lanning, who are clients of the Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center (NEI-SBDC), planned for the ice cream shop over the past few years, while operating a brightly-colored ice cream truck that visits area events and neighborhoods. Ammerman, who also serves as a magician and entertainer by profession, likes to entertain his customers while serving up the goods. Lanning works as a dental hygienist by day and is hands-on with the business as well. Both are “hands on” in operating the ice cream shop assisted by an entertaining crew of 15 part-time employees. “We are trying to make Rusty’s an experience that is fun, entertaining, gregarious and enthusiastic,” Ammerman says.
Current hours of operation for Rusty’s Ice Cream are Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. The shop is closed on Wednesdays. Future customers are encouraged to follow the Rusty’s Ice Cream Facebook page or website to keep track of the shop’s hours of operation, which may be expanded this summer, or they can email dude@rustysicecream.com for more information.
To learn more about the small business services of the NEI-SBDC, visit www.Isbdc.org or call 260-481-0500.
