Cheney restaurant offers its own ice cream

Chocolate truffle ice cream can make you happy on a snowy day.

Cheney residents now have the opportunity to get ice cream and baked goods nearly every day at Cheney Delights Restaurant, 513 First St.

Fred and Gail Pollard, recent transplants from Florida, opened the restaurant in a onetime post office. Along with the desserts, they serve hot dogs, bratwurst, nachos and pizza by the slice.

“A lot of people seem to like the nachos,” Gail said. The Pollards also offer a condiment bar that includes peppers, chili, cheese sauce, salsa and other ingredients for customers to dress up their lunches the way they like them.

Fred, a former engineer, and Gail, a former certified public accountant, wanted to own their own business in their new town. They heard that a marketing survey revealed that Cheney residents want a local movie theater, a clothing store, a bakery or an ice cream shop.

“A movie theater seemed like a big undertaking,” said Gail, adding that her husband really didn’t get excited about selling clothing, either.

But Fred liked the idea of making ice cream for a living. He quickly bought the equipment and learned how to use it from the man who sold him his freezer and from the California Culinary Academy.

“Getting secrets from the best seems to help,” Fred said.

He then set about asking everyone he knows what flavor of ice cream they would like if they were to make their own. He still asks his customers the same question.

The restaurant sells 12 different ice creams and eight gelatos daily. The Pollards have a couple of standard flavors they make every day, but many of them change, depending on what Fred feels like serving.

Fred said huckleberry is one of the more popular ice cream flavors.

While Fred was learning the ice cream trade, Gail was baking decorative cakes to give to her friends and family. Now she offers individual cakes, as well as brownies, that come with mint frosting, peanut butter or chocolate frosting, and an assortment of cookies.

The building was rundown when the Pollards bought it, with kiddy pools collecting water that was leaking through the roof, and the electrical and plumbing systems needed fixing. The Pollards did a lot of the repairs themselves, but also recruited many friends to help, and they are quick to talk about how much the people in their community helped and how much they appreciate it.

Fred also refinished the original hardwood floor in the seating area and there are now skylights in the kitchen and seating area. The shop also offers wireless Internet connections.

With 11 employees and the business running smoothly, the Pollards are planning to expand the shop to include an outdoor seating area and to show movies on the television projector they have in the seating room. Artists soon will be able to hang their wares on two of the walls in the seating area.

For now, the couple are overwhelmed with the welcome they’ve received in Cheney. Along with the helpful friends, other businesses in the area sent them plants and flowers on their grand opening. “My goal is to make the best ice cream and hot dogs in the state of Washington,” Fred said.

But until word gets out about the restaurant, his goal is a little more immediate.

“Putting smiles on faces is awesome,” he said.