OHIO, USA — Eric's Ice Cream Factory, a local homemade ice cream shop, is celebrating success with the hot weather.
It makes almost all of its products by hand and the shop is known for its one-of-a-kind sweet treats.
Eric's Ice Cream Factory started its business back in 1999 and they've been able to flourish so much that they have three of them in Defiance.
One is in Bryan, another in Bowling Green and they also have a mobile ice cream shop.
"I get the 3 scoop sampler and I don't know about anybody else, but like that's my go-to. Cause you can try everything," said Breah Kuck, who is a Bowling Green State University senior.
"Yeah I also like that and I like how you can see how they make the ice cream. I think that's cool," added Kayley Cascio, also a BG senior with her friend Kuck.
Scoop after scoop, it's easily become a favorite of customers with a sweet tooth.
Eric Gerber is the president and namesake of Eric's Ice Cream Factory.
"We began producing all of our own ice cream by 2012 and in the last few weeks with all of our locations, with it being so hot, we are producing almost 2,000 gallons of ice cream a week," said Gerber.
But it goes much deeper than what you see inside these buckets.
Families are creating memories.
"Will you remember coming and getting ice cream with mama and paw paw?" a grandmother said to her grandson, who said yes.
It's about special made rootbeer floats.
And finding an escape from everything happening in the world.
"We talk about it as being a five-minute vacation from life. And you have no idea what people are going through that day. What's gonna happen tomorrow. And we have all kinds of stories about so and so is having a cancer treatment and this is the only thing they want," said Gerber.
This is why Gerber takes ice-making so seriously.
He's taking it to another level by expanding all over northwest Ohio.
"We have been looking at the Perrysburg, Maumee, Waterville, and Holland areas. As well as Napoleon and Archbold and here in Bowling Green, we'd like to do a secondary location. And we've also been working with a franchise development group over the last 2 years," said Gerber.
That growth in 23 years isn't stopping anytime soon.
Because they know customers need that five-minute vacation on a hot summer day.
"Growing up I've always gone to McDonald's. Got like a dollar cone. But now, I've upgraded a little bit to Eric's. So no matter what it'll bring me back to my childhood," said Kuck.
You can actually own an Eric's Ice Cream Factory through its franchise.
All you have to do is visit ericsicecream.com.