By Audrey Hanes, Photography by Kennedy Crawford

When a charming little space opened up on Main Street in Downtown Jonesboro, Eric Roberts knew it would be the perfect location for a hand-dipped ice cream parlor. He opened Scoops two years ago and has been serving up sweet treats to a growing list of downtown visitors and ice cream aficionados ever since.

“My family and I do rental properties, and this was one of the properties downtown that when we looked at it, we thought had a lot of opportunity,” said Roberts, a Jonesboro native. “The front of it was so cute when we first got it, we thought it would be a great coffee shop or bookstore, but the more we thought about it, there’s lots of coffee in Jonesboro, so I settled on ice cream, because Jonesboro didn’t have any ice cream at the time.

“I have a bit of a history with ice cream. I had a food truck a few years ago; ice cream was secondary, but I had the connections with Blue Bell and knew how to scoop it and keep it properly cold and all that. And this is a great location. With it being close to The Forum and all the activities and events downtown, it seemed perfect.”

A wall of fun ice cream wallpaper, colorful outdoor seating and a large freezer later, Scoops was open for business in September 2022.

“My first ever day was the Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Fest,” said Roberts of opening day. “It was trial by fire, and it was insane. I had one little freezer and eight flavors and sold out of every single bit of ice cream. I had to run to Home Depot for another freezer and eventually close the doors for the rest of the week until I could restock, just to keep up with the demand.

“I felt good after that first festival and seeing how successful it was, where we had 20 people in the building and 60 people lined down the sidewalk – they just kept coming. Once I realized how much people were appreciative of what I was providing, it was a no-brainer.”

The aesthetics certainly attract customers, but the ice cream is what keeps them coming back for more. Scoops features Prairie Farm and Blue Bell ice creams, both of which are known for their superior quality and taste.

“Blue Bell makes such a good product, which a lot of people in the South can relate to because Blue Bell is from Texas,” said Roberts. “The name sells itself. If I were to make my own ice cream, it wouldn’t be as good, because they’re just that good. They’re so easy to work with. They’re used to shipping to grocery stores, so they were really excited that I was using their product for an old-fashioned ice cream store, and they have been really supportive.”

Roberts stocks both of his freezers with ice cream from Blue Bell Creameries and Highland Dairy, the parent company of Prairie Farms. Between the two, he has access to more than 60 flavors of ice cream. Scoops carries 20 at a time, most of which are staples, but some he rotates seasonally and as the creameries come out with new flavors.

“I should have a flavor for everybody,” he said. “Blue Monster is absolutely number one. If I don’t have it, kids will cry. It’s half Cookies and Cream and half Cookie Dough, then dyed blue. Blue Monster is by far my number one; I go through so many gallons each week. Regular Cookies and Cream is the next most popular flavor, followed by Cotton Candy, Butter Pecan or Pecan Pralines and Cream, then either Strawberry Cheesecake or Oatmeal Cream Pie.

“The majority of people like it in a cup or on a cone because Blue Bell is good enough you don’t really need any toppings, but we also offer a banana split, floats and milkshakes. The banana splits are big, so I do not recommend for everybody – I have a mini split for those who want something smaller. The unicorn sundae is really popular for kids; it features an upside-down cone and some fun extras.”

Seasonal flavors generally run from October through December. Roberts says Blue Bell does a Christmas Cookie flavor that is popular with his customers, and the creamery often partners with other companies, most recently with Dr. Pepper and A&W Root Beer, for some additional fun flavors.
“I have some flavors that you can’t get in stores – you have to come in here to get it,” said Roberts.

The Scoops owner says his location and word of mouth have kept him busy and earned him many regular customers.

“It’s kind of crazy that even after a week or month of being open I already started having regulars,” he said. “Most of my customers are still brand new, even almost two years into it. I have been called Jonesboro’s best kept secret. A lot of people find me when they happen to walk by after a date night downtown. Being close to The Forum, I get a lot of people who come after shows, and the cast comes by, too. I also get a lot of little ballerinas who come by after their classes.”

 The Stansbury family is active in The Foundation of Arts and frequents the Forum Theatre, and Scoops has become a family favorite.

“Scoops is a fun place to take the girls for a sweet treat after classes and rehearsals at the FOA,” said Kathryn Stansbury of her daughters, 12-year-old Madalyn and 6-year-old Rebekah. “We love that it is so close by. Within minutes of leaving The FOA, the girls can enjoy their favorite flavors of ice cream.”

“I like going to Scoops to get a sweet treat with my friends from FOA,” added Madalyn.

Roberts points out that his cozy indoor fireplace makes ice cream a treat that can be enjoyed year-round in Downtown Jonesboro, especially as part of events such as the Jonesboro Christmas Parade and Joy Fest.

“I just really enjoy making the little kids happy,” said Roberts. “I have more adult customers than kids, but I can be having a bad day and if I have a kid come in and they‘re so happy while enjoying their ice cream here, that makes my day better. And I can eat as much ice cream as I want, so that is definitely a perk, too.”

Scoops, located at 324 S. Main St. in Downtown Jonesboro, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 9 p.m. For more information, follow @scoopsjonesboro on Instagram.