Handel's Homemade Ice Cream is an
ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as Chocolate, cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food ...
company franchise founded by Alice Handel in 1945 in Youngstown, Ohio. As of January 2025, the company operates over 150 corporate and franchise stores in 15 states. Today, it is owned by Leonard Fisher and maintains a corporate headquarters in
Canfield, Ohio
Canfield is a city in central Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 7,699 as of the 2020 census. It is a suburb surrounded by Canfield Township located at the intersection of U.S. Routes 62 and 224. It is part of the Youn ...
. Handel's also has its own neighborhood district located in Youngstown.
History
Handel's Ice Cream began when Alice Handel started serving ice cream from her husband's gas station in Youngstown, Ohio in the summer of 1945. The first batches were made using fresh fruit she picked from her own backyard, with old fashioned recipes. The menu includes over 150 flavors of ice cream.
Recognition
Handel's success has been reported in various publications including the
Travel Channel
Travel Channel (stylized as Trvl Channel since 2018) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, who previously owned the channel from 1997 to 2007. The channel is headquartered in Manhattan, with ...
, which recognized Handel's as "One of the Best Ice Cream Parlors in the Country." In July 2002, ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (often stylized in all caps) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth in 1980 and launched on September 14, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headq ...
'' rated it as one of the top-ten best ice cream businesses in the country. In 2020, Handel's was named as one of the top 500 franchises by ''Entrepreneur Magazine''s Franchise 500 ranking.
The original stand—still located in Youngstown, Ohio—has been quoted as “The Busiest Ice Cream Stand in America” by Ohio Restaurant News.
It has been described by ''Ohio Restaurant News'' as "The Busiest Ice Cream Stand in America". ''Chocolatier Magazine'' called Handel's "One of the Best Ice Creams in America." In 2006, ''
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...
'' named Handel's the #1 ice cream in its ''10 Best of Everything'' book.
Handel's success has also been documented by ''
People Magazine
''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''Peopl ...
'', ''
U.S. News & World Report'', and the book ''Everyone Loves Ice Cream''.
See also
*
List of ice cream brands
This is a list of notable ice cream brands. Ice cream is a frozen dessert, usually made from dairy products such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavors. However, not all frozen desserts can be called ice ...
Notes
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Handel's Homemade Ice Cream
Ice cream parlors in the United States
Fast-food chains of the United States
Regional restaurant chains in the United States
Companies based in Ohio
Youngstown, Ohio
Fast-food franchises
Restaurants established in 1945
Food and drink companies established in 1969
Economy of the Eastern United States
Ice cream brands
1945 establishments in Ohio