Mom Turns Pandemic Hobby Into Thriving Ice Cream Shop
When COVID-19 upended life for Baltimore resident Sydney Newton, the unemployed mom transformed lemons into icy sweet lemonade.
She launched a home ice cream hobby in 2020 that would soon become a brick-and-mortar shop thanks to her scrumptious recipes and uplifting community spirit.
Boredom Leads to Delicious Experimentation
With kids stuck at home and depression setting in, Newton whipped up homemade ice cream as a family creative outlet. Her kids loved concocting new flavors and textures. As word spread, a delivery service quickly morphed into Sydney’s Ice Creams.
Newton recalls, “My sister and mom told me to put it on Instagram. Then we started delivering to more people.” The complex mixes of tastes and colors proved a welcome pandemic pick-me-up.
Pop-Up Shop Set For Grand Opening
This spring, Sydney’s Ice Creams will officially open doors at 3432 Belair Road, bringing icy joy to Northeast Baltimore’s Belair-Edison area. To fund the $280,000 launch, the shop secured financing through a neighborhood redevelopment initiative.
For now, Newton runs weekend pop-ups offering unique options like birthday cake and cherry cheesecake. She also plans special events to preview soon-to-launch sorbet flavors leading up to the April 1 grand opening celebration.
Hometown Shop Aims to Unite Community
The mompreneur entrepreneur hopes her homegrown business becomes a community nexus in the childhood neighborhood she loves. She envisions kids flocking in after school for well-deserved treats.
Regional leader John Watkins agrees, stating, “I think it will impact the neighborhood in a positive way.” He notes that residents yearn to patronize local establishments, predicting Sydney’s will create jobs and foot traffic.
Rising from pandemic misfortune through inspiration and experimentation, Sydney Newton manifests the American entrepreneurial spirit. Soon, her tastes of handcrafted happiness will be uplifting an entire neighborhood.
