Fairhaven Welcoming New Ice Cream Shop This Spring

Phillip and Colleen Martin have been in and around the ice cream business for many, many years. Colleen's parents ran several ice cream shops on Cape Cod. Maggie's homemade ice cream was located in locations like Osterville, Mashpee Commons, Main Street Hyannis and Route 6 Marion near Cumberland Farms.

Shortly after they got married, the couple helped run some of those Cape Cod ice cream shops. That was decades ago, before kids. However, the itch to run a fun business like an ice cream shop never left Phil and Colleen.

They have since settled down in Fairhaven. They've been living in town for 18 years, and are raising seven children.

"Ready-made staff," joked Phil. "The older kids have been working at Captain Bonney's in Rochester for the past few summers gaining experience, not even knowing that they'd soon be involved in family-owned ice cream business. They were drawn to that kind of work and they loved it."

The name of the Martins' new ice cream shop will be The Ice Cream Cottage. It will be located in Fairhaven Village at the former Brady's Ice Box location between Margaret's and Elizabeth's restaurants.

Martin says they'll be serving Acushnet Creamery ice cream.

"We love Acushnet Creamery ice cream; we think it's one of the best in the area. We know the Corays from church. We've been fans of their ice cream for years. There's nothing like a good, quality ice cream."

The plan is for an opening date sometime in May. In a perfect world, Phil and Colleen would love to be open in time for Mother's Day (which is historically the biggest day for ice cream sales in New England). "We've got a lot to do, so we're just not sure yet how fast we'll be able to pull it off."

Phil says the shop will be open seven days a week during the summer season and will trim down the schedule once school opens in the fall.

The family plans on closing during the off-season for the first year.