The Island Creamery won the coveted USA Today Readers’ Choice Award for best independent ice cream shop in the United States. From left, Drew Conklin and Jen Sorrell, who own and operate the family business, Eva Konyar, Lauren Kemp, Cooper Ludt, Gavin Erickson, Jordan Gilmore and Nia Smith.
By Cindy Hoffman, Staff Writer
(July 13, 2023) Budget Travel’s “Coolest Small Town in America” in 2014 is now officially the home to the nation’s best independent ice cream shop in the United States, according to a poll conducted by USA Today.
On July 7, USA Today announced the results of the contest in which readers could vote once per day. Nominations were submitted by a panel of experts and that list was narrowed to 10 nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards.
Island Creamery beat out nine other shops nationally. The local shop was neck-and-neck with An’s Dry Cleaning in San Diego throughout the four-week contest, but in the end the small locally made ice cream shop pulled ahead for the win.
“The healthy competition made it fun,” said Jen Sorrell, the manager of the Berlin and Salisbury stores.
“This happened because of all the hard work of the family, staff and customers. It’s such a blessing.”
Island Creamery is a family-run business. Kelly and Robin Conklin opened their first shop in Chincoteague in 1975, where they live. Their son, and Sorrell’s fiance, Drew, oversees operations in Maryland. His brother and sister, Cole and Courtney run production and the flagship shop in Chincoteague.
Sorrell was thrilled to share this win with the family.
“We are a team. We love each other first and foremost. This brings us even closer.”
She said her 12 year-old son, Gavin’s jaw hit the floor when he realized the contest was not local, but nationwide.
“It’s a big humongous deal,” Sorrell said.
“We are the best!” confirmed Gavin.
“I keep going back to that level of humility. It’s so humbling,” Sorrell said. “We all did this, the entire town. It’s something that brought this town together.”
Sorrell is working with the town to come up with some sort of celebration. “We will get creative,” she said.