Union Avenue welcomes Craft Cones to its lineup of fun and unique businesses, thanks to a quirky wedding gift that paved the way for a Pueblo couple to embark on an entirely new career.
When Christopher and Theresa Madrill married in 2019, the wedding gift of an ice cream machine changed the course of their entrepreneurial journey.
“I’ve always loved ice cream and it’s my favorite snack, so when we got this ice cream maker, it was a blast and ultimately changed my life. I really love being creative with ice cream making,” Theresa Madrill told the Chieftain.
In the back of her mind, the dream of opening an ice cream parlor began to grow.
“One day I was driving down Union Avenue and saw the ‘For Rent’ sign (at 101 N. Union Ave.) and I thought, ‘Maybe now is the right time. It’s meant to be,'” she recalls.
The sign hung in Unit 100, where Yogurt on Union was operated by Eddie and Carrie Lopez and their six children. The prime store location became available when the Lopez family realized they were simply too busy to keep the frozen yogurt business going.
When they began ordering the equipment, the Madrills soon discovered that most ice cream shops did not make their own ice cream, but ordered pre-made products for delivery.
What to expect from Craft Cones
The Madrills make everything themselves – including all ice cream flavors, waffle cones and aromatic mocktails with sparkling water.
Each small batch of ice cream yields 3 gallons of frozen deliciousness that can be served in a cone or cup, or purchased in a prepackaged pint to go. The homemade waffle cones are sprinkled with a dash of cinnamon for extra flavor.
Mocktails include variations such as the “Beachside” with mango and pineapple flavors in sparkling water.
“We have 10 flavors of ice cream to choose from and my inspiration is to offer something for everyone. The goal is to make this a place where the whole family can go, whether they like sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan or all-dairy ice cream,” explained Theresa Madrill.
“We hope to partner with the farms to offer ice cream with seasonal ingredients. We just got some Palisade peaches and are using Colorado cherries for our cherry chocolate chunk ice cream,” she said.
When pumpkins ripen on the mesa in the fall, look for pumpkin ice cream. When the Chile and Frijoles Festival begins Sept. 20, the Madrills have “some ideas for a special ice cream flavor coming up,” just in time to celebrate the Pueblo chile harvest, she said.
Chili and cheese go well in a tortilla wrap, so it makes sense that chili and creamy ice cream could also be a good combination, she suggested.
The store officially opened on Saturday, and the cherry chocolate chip ice cream is among the 10 flavors that will be sold while supplies last.
“It’s my favorite dish because the tart cherries and sweet ice cream make a great combination,” said Theresa Madrill.
“Christopher’s favorite is ‘Give Me S’more.’ He toasted marshmallows with a blowtorch and then we added the melted marshmallows to the ice cream base,” she explained.
Other flavors include Key Lime Pie, Madagascar Vanilla Bean and Marty’s Caramel Macchiato, named after Christopher Madrill’s aunt. The macchiato has a caramel base and freshly ground and brewed coffee, making it a delicious and slightly caffeinated treat.
There will soon be a special ice cream named after the person who gave the newlyweds this ice cream maker five years ago.
The store’s hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s currently a family-run business, but the couple hopes to hire help soon.
About the owners
Christopher Madrill is a Pueblo native who attended Centennial High School before graduating from Cheyenne Mountain High School when his family moved to Colorado Springs. He particularly enjoyed the music programs at school and played baritone saxophone.
Theresa Madrill is from Minnesota. She and her husband met in college and in 2017 she decided to move to Pueblo.
After college, Christopher Madrill taught business courses at Centennial and later worked in the administrative offices of Pueblo School District 60 before embarking on the Craft Cones journey.
“This has been a long time coming and we are excited to add something new to the fun, unique and safe recreational offerings in Pueblo,” said Theresa Madrill.
More news about Pueblo delicacies: Beat the summer heat with an ice-cold beer at one of these Pueblo breweries
Chieftain reporter Tracy Harmon covers business news. She can be reached by email at [email protected] or by calling X., earlier Twitter at twitter.com/tracywumps. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
