Recent Positively West Virginia guests Taylor Strickland and Timothy Ruff never thought they would end up scooping ice cream for a living in the same place they grew up. 

Tim and Taylor grew up helping their grandmother run her homemade ice cream business, Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream, in Ceredo, West Virginia. They learned to love this place for the memories it held but went to college, visualizing an entirely different future for themselves. “Ten years ago, you couldn’t have convinced me that today, I would be making ice cream,” Tim said.

It didn’t take long on the road less traveled to make Tim and Taylor realize where their passion was. Today, the two proudly run the shop together and have grown into another location, the second being in Huntington’s downtown market. 

A business that has been around since 1947 has to be open to change to succeed. Tim says that their business is thriving today because of two critical things — being open to change and making excellent ice cream. Creativity is vital in both recipe development and business models. Tim and Taylor go to trade shows, research modern trends and are a part of an ice cream collective to keep up with the times. 

This past year has been a challenge for this family company, but they are fortunate to have a community that stands behind them. Despite the curveballs of 2020, Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream stands stronger than ever. They are even looking to expand to increase the space they have for production.

Austin’s Homemade Ice Cream lives up to their promise of “Deliciously Different.” They are continually trying new flavors, seeking advice from successful people and finding new ways to be creative. Tim said, “Yes, I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from my grandmother and from being around the business for so long, but I learn things every day.” 

If you’re passing through Ceredo or Huntington, don’t miss your opportunity to try some real, homemade, deliciously different ice cream. 

Listen to Taylor and Timothy’s whole podcast here: https://positivelywv.com/podcast/episode-156-taylor-strickland-and-tim-ruff-austins-homemade-ice-cream/

PWV QUICK BITS | TAYLOR STRICKLAND AND TIMOTHY RUFF

PIECE OF ADVICE: “Be a constant learner,” advised Tim.