UTICA, Ohio — While temperatures have begun to drop, ice cream is still a big deal in Utica, Ohio — home to the Velvet Ice Cream parlor.  

The company got its start when Joseph Dager immigrated to Utica from Lebanon at 15 years old, looking to find the American dream. Going into business with his cousins, they set up shop at a local confectionary.

"He learned very early on that ice cream was an all American dessert,” said Luconda Dager, president of the Velvet Ice Cream Company. “His consumers really liked ice cream." 

A household name in the Utica neighborhood, it was Joseph Dager’s children who implemented factories and began selling wholesale to big box stores. It wasn’t until the third generation that the Velvet Ice Cream parlor started to look how it does today.

In the 1970s the Velvet Ice Cream parlor became an attraction at the Ye Old Mill. Joanne Dager, Velvet Ice Cream vice president, said Velvet Ice cream stretches back in her own family tree and of the entire community.

“We are rooted in a lot of history here,” Joanne Dager said. “A lot of people remember when this was a skating rink or a place to come and gather. Even though it looks more like a park right now, that is exactly what it is. It's a place where people can just come and meet and greet each other”.

When Joseph Dager created Velvet Ice Cream more than 100 years ago, he only offered vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Named for its creamy and velvet-like texture, the company has expanded over the years. They keep 50 to 60 flavors on hand, and have had more than 300 flavors in their history. 

The past year and a half has made a mark on the company’s history. At the start of the pandemic, it closed their parlor doors and were only offering carry out services. As time went on, Velvet began to realize its location's advantages. Patrons were able to utilize the outdoor park space to enjoy the sweet treat and enjoy a safe outing with their families.

"We're blessed to have this 25 acre park out there,” said Luconda Dager. “Consumers just went out and strolled the grounds and walked around and ate their ice cream". 

While the parlor is a staple in Utica, Velvet Ice Cream sells to retailers all over the country. 

Joanne Dager said, no matter how big they expand through the generations, their ice cream will always taste like home.

“It's such a family oriented aspect of how to make ice cream,” she said. “They want to include that from their past childhood where their grandparents brought them here and it's a tradition of theirs to also bring their own children here.”

The Velvet Ice Cream parlor may be found just northeast of Columbus in Utica, currently offering a variety of fall flavors, including pure cinnamon and blueberry cobbler.