Frosty flavors flooded Stevenson Ranch as Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream held its soft opening on Jan. 11. Through just an informal opening, Handel’s has received a tremendous amount of support from the Santa Clarita Valley.
Founded by Alice Handel, Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream bloomed from a small backyard business to a chain famous for its quality. Using the fruit from her garden, Handel sold homemade ice cream to the local kids of Youngstown, Ohio. “Word started to spread, and then all of a sudden there was a long line outside of her house selling ice cream,” Scott Sonnenberg, the owner of Handel’s SCV location, explained. “Shortly after they opened up the first Handel’s in 1945, it kind of grew from there. Now, Handel’s is up to 100 stores and continuing to grow,” he added.
West Ranch sophomore Annabelle Barriere particularly enjoyed Handel’s, stating, “When I tried Handel’s, it was really good. I had previously heard good things about it and I like that even their basic flavors taste elevated in comparison to other [ice cream shops].” Handel’s is known for its high-quality products and customer service.
Featuring a unique walk-up design where customers order at windows outside, Handel’s takes advantage of outdoor seating in the Stevenson Ranch Pavilion, right around the corner from the building. This design encourages a family-oriented atmosphere and allows convenient access for a demographic of ages. “We want this to be a place that brings families together where they can get away from the hustle and bustle of what’s happening in their lives,” Sonnenberg said.
Amelie Mendoza, a senior at West Ranch and a Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream employee, elaborates on the communal feel of the public square: “[It] brought a little life back into that plaza. I always see little kids now playing around in [the middle of the plaza]. Also, a lot of families visit and it just brings people to the other things around Handel’s.”
Santa Clarita already has many booming ice cream and frozen yogurt businesses, and the new Handel’s location will face competition from franchises such as Cold Stone Creamery, Baskin-Robbins and Menchie’s. To separate itself from its competitors, Handel’s takes advantage of the freshness found in their nearly 150 flavors of ice cream. “We make anywhere from 20 to 60 batches of ice cream per day,” Sonnenberg explained, “The fact that it’s fresh, the fact that it’s eaten within a matter of days keeps it fresh and the wide variety of flavors, I think is something unique.”
With an extravagant grand opening coming on Feb. 8th, SCV residents can look forward to games, prizes, music and other exciting events. The grand opening will feature live music, an ice cream giveaway and a performance from West Ranch’s cheer team and drumline. Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream continues to set the expectation for fresh, quality ice cream daily.
Cats, be sure to give Handel’s a visit!
