In Calgary, Village Ice Cream has become more than just a place to satisfy a sweet tooth—it’s a community hub where neighbours gather over handmade waffle cones and inventive flavours. Led in marketing by Beth Allison, the beloved local chain now boasts five architecturally designed scoop shops across the city, with a sixth on the way in 2026.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Village Ice Cream. We make incredible ice cream in our community hubs (aka: our 5 scoop shops), and we work hard to make an impact in the communities in which we serve.
What made you want to do this work?
Find Billy’s story here.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
Billy set out to create vibrant, neighbourhood gathering places. At the time, there weren’t many places in YYC you could hang out with some family or friends that didn’t involve going to a bar.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
We set out to make Village Ice Cream an inclusive place for all to gather. I can’t exactly tell you our target market (I can’t give away all of our secrets), but I can say that our shops are beautiful architecturally designed spaces that you want to hang out in. The hand-made waffle cone smell might lure you in, but we hope that the beautiful spaces, amazing ice cream, and customer service will convince you to stay.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We have 5 locations in Calgary: Victoria Park, Bridgeland, Garrison Corner, University District, and Britannia Plaza. Our 6th location in West District will open early 2026.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The absolute best part is being involved in flavour creation/testing (who doesn’t want to create ice cream at work), and also being able to make an impact on the community. There is no “worst part”! It’s a dream!
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
When I tell people I work at Village Ice Cream, they assume that I just eat ice cream all day. I would say it’s mostly true.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
There are so many in Calgary! My top 3 at the moment would be Annex, Phil & Sebastian, Class Clown.
