Wicked Scoops employee Brooke Seiders (left) looks on as owner Jamie Way (right) scoops ice cream on the business’s opening day, Friday, June 23, while customers Joe Jacobs (left) and William Bradford chat at the counter. (Maia Zewert photo)
Just in time for summer, a Damariscotta woman has opened a new ice cream shop at 95 Main St. in downtown Damariscotta, the former home of The Bear and the Bea.
Jamie Way, owner of Wicked Scoops, has a long history of confection businesses in her family, dating back to 1946 with her great-grandfather’s shop in Teaneck, N.J. Over the years, her grandfather, mother, and a cousin have all owned and operated different confection and candy shops.
“We all got to the point where we decided to switch careers, and this is what we all ended up going into,” Way said. “And now I’m a fourth-generation confectionary server!”
Prior to starting Wicked Scoops, Way worked as an art dealer. Compared to her previous career, Way said working in an ice cream shop is a “sweet, easy, and fun” job.
Wicked Scoops’ DRA Sundae includes a scoop of ice cream, gummy fish, and chocolate “river rocks.” For every sundae it sells, the business will donate $1 to the Damariscotta River Association. (Maia Zewert photo)
“Ice cream is for all ages. Adults, kids, everyone is happy with ice cream,” Way said.
This past winter, Way’s husband, Penn Way, was searching for a commercial space in Damariscotta to rent for his business. The couple purchased the building at 95 Main St., Way said.
Over the past few months, the Ways have been putting in hours of work to get the business ready for opening. Wicked Scoops opened for business Friday, June 23.
“It was such a soft opening, we didn’t really advertise beyond our Facebook and Instagram, but we’ve had a good, steady stream of traffic the entire day,” Way said.
Wicked Scoops serves Gifford’s Ice Cream and will carry 30 flavors at a time, rotating in new seasonal flavors and customer favorites, Way said.
In addition to its wide variety of flavors, Way said she decided to serve Gifford’s Ice Cream because it is responsibly made in Maine.
“I feel good about how they do business,” Way said.
Michael Kastelein, 4, of Damariscotta, enjoys an ice cream cone at Wicked Scoops in downtown Damariscotta. (Maia Zewert photo)
Wicked Scoops has a plethora of toppings for people to add to their ice cream, including candy and cereals, Way said.
The business offers ice cream floats, giving customers the choice of using root beer, Coke, Moxie, or Dr. Pepper.
Customers can create their own sundae or one from the menu. One of Wicked Scoops’ offerings, the DRA Sundae, includes gummy fish and chocolate “river rocks.” For each DRA Sundae sold, $1 is donated to the Damariscotta River Association, a nonprofit close to her husband’s heart, Way said.
In addition to supporting the DRA and its environmental work through donations, Wicked Scoops also uses recyclable materials for its cups and spoons, Way said.
Throughout the summer, Wicked Scoops will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. The hours will change in the fall, Way said. The business accepts cash and credit cards.
For more information about Wicked Scoops, find the business on Facebook and Instagram.
