Milky Way customer favourite to celebrate Saskatchewan Day

Smiling customers walked away from one of Regina’s most well-known ice cream stands with nothing but a few runny drips left on the pavement.

Many people spent Saskatchewan Day getting outside and walking around with their favourite ice cream treat. For Regina locals, the Milky Way ice cream stand is their favourite place to go for specialty treats.

“It’s a place where people gather to spend time with their families, friends, and the community,” said co-owner Todd Boldt. “Enjoy the Saskatchewan weather standing in line, and of course getting their favourite ice cream treat.”

Boldt has been around the store ever since he was 13 years old. His family bought the Milky Way in the 1980s, but it had been in operation since 1956. He said he has many fond memories of slinging ice cream and working with friends and family over the years.

He said it wouldn’t have been possible without the support from a loyal customer base.

“I think the most fond memory I have would be opening day of each season,” said Boldt. “There are those smiling faces that you remember from the last year, waiting for us to take the boards off the windows.

“Seeing those smiling faces from people we haven’t seen over the winter makes it worth it.”

Boldt and much of his family has stepped back from the day-to-day operation, but still own and handle the business.

Many customers have been coming to the Milky Way for many years in its 60 years of operation.

Stacie Donison said that she has been coming to the ice cream stand to get pistachio ice cream for the past forty years. She has lots of happy memories of coming to the stand as a child.

“My grandmother and I used to go for long walks as a kid, and on our way back we would always stop and get Milky Way on the way back,” said Donison.

Donison says her Saskatchewan Day celebration wouldn’t be complete without getting Milky Way and going for a walk around Wascana Park.

Customer Kevin Machin said the Milky Way is an important part of the community.

“It is so rare because it’s not a big franchise,” said Machin. “It’s family-owned and family-run which makes it so nice to see something local that means so much to the community.”

Machin has been coming to the Milky Way for about four decades to get his favourite hot fudge sundae. He said the perfect way to celebrate Saskatchewan Day is to get ice cream and then spend the afternoon on his deck.

“I am always coming here with family, and when it opens its always a sign of summer.”

It’s Jacqueline Tri’s first year managing the Milky Way store front.

“This is an ever-growing space,” said Tri. “Times are changing, and still you can still get the same cone you got as a kid right now today.”

She said they have a large number of usual customers who come a few times a week, and when its hot, the line up will go down the street.

Tri was once frequent customer who used to come with her family. She said the loyal customer base is proof for the business:

“I think it means that we are doing something right,” she said with a smile.