By Darlene Brace
Gene and Tammy Calhoun recently opened Colquhoun’s Ice Creams and Subs in Lakewood at 48 Chautauqua Avenue. For the last few years, they have owned an ice cream and sub shop in Conewango Valley. Their business there has been very successful, and now they have opened a Lakewood location with the encouragement of a friend and local business owner Kim Carlson.
Before the idea of opening an ice cream shop came to be, Gene worked as a machinist, and his wife Tammy was employed at Gowanda Electronics. Gene originally got the idea for making ice cream because he had an Amish friend who owned a bulk food store who asked Gene if he could store his ice cream in his freezer. Eventually, this sparked Gene’s interest in making and selling ice cream when he observed all the people coming for ice cream. They thought it might be a great opportunity to open an ice cream shop in the area since there weren’t any nearby. Coincidentally, Gene saw a Facebook post about a soft-serve ice cream machine and decided to buy one to try it out. To educate himself on ice cream making, Gene watched YouTube videos. Their first creation was Scottish Coffee Toffee, and it was very tasty.
Around this time, they met Kim Carlson, the owner of Peapod and Juniper, after Gene posted that he had made Scottish Coffee Toffee flavored ice cream, Kim expressed interest in trying it. After tasting his homemade ice cream, Kim was impressed. She encouraged the Calhouns to pursue their passion for making delicious ice cream. She invited them to sell some at Peapod and Juniper, and they agreed. The Calhouns sold pints that were ordered online, and it turned out to be a successful venture.
After that, Gene and Tammy decided that they wanted to open an ice cream shop. They opened the Conewango Valley location in July of 2021. At first, they considered only making soft serve, but eventually, they made both soft and hard ice cream. They were quite busy that season, and it was very successful. However, during the winter months, when ice cream sales slowed down considerably, they decided to include making subs to get them through the slower time. Their business in Conewango flourished as it became a hit in the community there.
Since opening in 2021, Gene and Tammy have created hundreds of ice cream flavors, many of which were inspired by customer requests for specific flavor combinations. When customers asked for certain flavors, Gene said, “If we can, we will.” Over the years, they have sold more than 300 unique flavors, all of which are made at their facility in Conowango. As their business continued to grow, Gene and Tammy decided to retire from their previous jobs to focus on running the ice cream and sub shop full-time.
Then around Halloween of 2024, their friend Kim Carlson approached the Calhouns once again. This time they discussed the possibility of Gene and Tammy opening their business in a location in Lakewood. Kim explained to the Calhouns that for three weekends in December, the Christmas in the Village Festival would be taking place and thought it would be good timing and a good location for their business. The Calhouns agreed and soon they opened the Lakewood location. They officially opened Colquhoun’s Ice Cream and Subs in Lakewood on Black Friday, with ice cream and food available from day one.
Since opening, Gene and Tammy have felt very welcomed by the Lakewood community. They are hoping that the Lakewood shop will be a busy and a profitable location. They are currently open Monday – Saturday from 11am-7pm and are closed on Sundays. In addition to ice cream, they also serve a variety of subs, salads, soups, and wraps. There are tables available if you choose to dine in, or you can call 716-338-3617 for takeout. For updated information, you can visit Colquhoun’s Ice Cream and Subs on Facebook.
The Calhouns love ice cream. They love making it, eating it, and seeing other people enjoy all their flavors of homemade ice cream. Tammy’s favorite is the Scottish Coffee Toffee which was the first flavor that they made. Some of their other best-sellers are Peanut Butter Overboard, Blueberry Cheesecake, Key Lime, and Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookie Dough. They all sound delish, right?
Remember that Colquhoun’s has more than just ice cream and that not many places serve ice cream in this area during the winter. There’s nothing like Calhouns homemade flavors, so when you’re craving ice cream, head over to Lakewood to Colquhoun’s and check out their delicious homemade ice cream.