Bringing The (Ice Cream) Cool To Cutler

Forget the big corporate chain ice cream places.  The idea behind Carleton’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor is to evoke memories of hanging out at the corner store with a soda fountain and to provide a relaxed place for neighborhood folk to unwind.

Romi Hammer scoops up the fun at Carleton’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor.

Owners Roger and Romi Hammer are 20-year residents of Palmetto Bay and spent six years waiting for the perfect time to open at their perfect hand-selected location, Old Cutler Road and SW 168^th Street.  With the grand opening in late January, the Hammers are realizing their dream of creating a wholesome place for the neighborhood to enjoy. 

“We have families that come in after school and buy a cone and then sit and help their kids do homework at our tables,” says Roger, “We love that!”  Romi adds, “We are so glad to provide a place for kids to hang out.  Nowadays, kids get run out of many places.  With us, we invite them to stay.  We create comfort and hominess”

Carleton’s ice cream is custom made to the specifications of the Hammer family taste.  There are around 20 flavors available at any given time and they rotate them regularly to meet customer requests.  “If we get asked for a particular flavor, we make sure to have it when our patrons return,” says Roger. “We think it’s important to exceed expectations.”

The ice cream parlor also has an old-fashioned candy bar.  Just grab wrapped candy pieces from dozens of candy jars and pay by the pound.  They have everything.  Well, almost. One day a grandmother came in and said, “Where are the Squirrel Nut Zippers?”  That night, the Hammers researched online and figured out what that candy was and how to get it.  They now proudly sell the 1920s based candy at their candy bar.

The ice cream parlor joins Starbucks and Sir Pizza, making this Cutler corner a great food destination.  An interior door was added to allow Sir Pizza customers to easily find their way to a yummy dessert at Carleton’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor.

 “We think this store is tying us closer to the community and we’re happy to live here,” explains Roger Hammer.  “We’re not some far away corporate store that is here to take you money elsewhere.”  To that end, the Hammers have made sure their prices are very competitive and hire local high school and college kids to work the counter. With so much goodness, I hope you’ll support local business and find the time to give Carleton’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor a try.