929 Fairview Lake Road Stillwater, NJ 07875 | Daily 11AM-9PM CLOSED FOR THE SEASON
The sugar shack
ABOUT
OUR PLACE
We just love ice cream!
Welcome to the
SUGAR SHACK
ICE CREAM
"the best kept secret in the middle of nowhere!"
OUR STORY
Kelly and Cody Castner are the proud owners of THE SUGAR SHACK ICE CREAM which was established in 2019. They were inspired by their Vermont family's ice cream stand and after a few years they decided to get their own soft serve ice cream machine so they could make their own ice cream!
Cody didn't think they would ever be able to sell ice cream because they were "in the middle of nowhere." However Kelly convinced him to give it a try. They bought a trailer and Cody rebuilt and fabricated it into an ice cream trailer! He did an amazing job with the whole thing! They then decided to side it with Adirondack siding which came from Castners Sawmill!
They started out with only one ice cream machine and cups and cones to serve yourself. They go by "the honor system" they had a slot to "drop your money" in. They decided to do self serve so Kelly could stay at home with her two munchkins! Being a self serve soft serve trailer definitely makes them one of a kind! Good news definitely travels fast and before you knew it they decided to add another ice cream machine the following year! They are now able to offer four flavors to choose from.
Despite the obstacles that 2020 gave them they were able to continue serving their wonderful community and friends. They had a lot of customers wanting change because they were cash only and being self serve there was no one there to give change (unless Kelly was available). To help with that they decided to add a machine in 2021 where you select your flavor(s) on a computer screen and then once your finished you insert your money. This machine is able to dispense change back if needed which was amazing! However this machine also involves technology which doesn't always cooperate. If you ever have any problems they have a doorbell to ring for help!
They offer gift certificates which go in a specific gift certificate and tip slot that is located in front of the change machine.
Occasionally when there are power outages the ice cream machines go into a standby mode. Simply ring the doorbell or call the number listed on the trailer and Kelly or Cody will be able to get the machine back in the appropriate mode so you can enjoy your delicious ice cream!
MEET THE TEAM
Cody and Kelly Castner
Owner Operators
Bradley and Gracey Castner
Operators in training!
what's the story with the old house
The house was built in the mid 1700s. The exact date and ownership are questionable but they believe that General Aaron Hankinson whom fought in the revolutionary war was the one who built the house (they are still researching to confirm). The house was constructed with tendon and mortise joints, handhewn beams, and waddle and daub which is a mixture of mud and straw used to construct the walls. The portion of the house that has been disassembled was an addition that was added to the main house in roughly 1783. The house was carefully disassembled and will be reconstructed into a new house elsewhere as they did not want to simply tear it down. In the future they hope to restore the rest of the structure and move The Sugar Shack into the building as they have ran out of room in its current trailer.
Their ice cream trailer is dedicated in loving memory of Scott Palmer whom they greatly miss. Both Scott and his wonderful family are the inspiration behind their wonderful creation.
