MILLBURY, Mass. — Christopher’s Homemade Ice Cream in Millbury is not just the home of a quintessential summer treat — it’s also the tangible result of a local man following his dream.

“I wanted to do something that made people happy,” said Bill Schroeder, owner of Christopher’s.

Schroeder, who named the business after his son, had a corporate career before deciding to go into business for himself. He went to numerous franchise seminars on companies like Honey Dew Donuts and Subway to gain a sense of what he’d be getting himself into.

“My wife is from Rochester, New York, and there’s an ice cream franchise called Abbott’s Frozen Custard,” Schroeder said. “I love that, but I wasn’t sure if Millbury was ready for a franchise like that.”

So Schroeder sought advice from Clark University’s small business consulting group that told him about Ice Cream University in West Orange, New Jersey. 

“I immediately started laughing,” Schroeder said. “I never heard something like that.” 

Ice Cream University was founded by the co-owner of Ice Cream Extravaganza, Malcolm Stogo, in 1955. Stogo worked with organizations like Haagen-Dazs, and Schroeder learned the basics from him.

And so, for the past nine years, Schroeder has led Christopher’s, making everything from scratch. The shop doesn’t have much freezer space, so that means that customers can enjoy the freshest of offerings on any given day.

“What I make, you’re going to get it within a few days of me making it,” Schroeder said. “It works out perfectly.”

Schroeder has a large ice cream mixer in the back, where all of the magic is made. He starts with the vanilla-based ice creams, working towards the darker colored treats like purple cow and black raspberry. Then he adds all the fixings and flavors, like chopping up cookies for his “Cookie Monster” flavor.

“That’s my most popular,” Schroeder said of the “Cookie Monster” ice cream. “It’s very hard to keep on the shelf. It sells well.”

Schroeder came up with the flavors himself, along with a friend who runs his own parlor in Rhode Island. He has a recipe book he used from his time in New Jersey, but sometimes, Schroeder says, the most fortuitous of results comes unexpectedly.

“Some of the mistakes I’ve made sometimes make the product better,” Schroeder said.

The ice cream itself is creamy and thick, the perfect consistency and texture. Customers get large helpings and are able to enjoy a wide assortment of flavors, with offerings like Almond Joy, Heath Bar, maple walnut, and strawberry cheesecake. There’s often special flavors available too, like salty caramel with chocolate covered pretzels.

“When we first started, it was word-of-mouth and Facebook,” Schroeder said. “Now, I even have a woman that comes in from Connecticut.”

The staff, especially in the summer months, are frequently high school and college students. 

“I think the nicest part of the job is giving the local kids jobs,” Schroeder said. “A lot of them, I know their parents. I grew up with their parents. My wife had some of them in school. That’s the fun part.”

Christopher’s is taking part in the 2021 Bigger Dipper, which is an ice cream festival taking part virtually this year due to COVID-19. People can redeem their coupons until September 6.

“I try to give something back and do some local donations and help out,” Schroeder said. “It’s nice because I grew up in Millbury. My wife taught school in Millbury. My mother still lives here, so does my brother.”

Schroeder said the community aspect is his favorite part.

“When kids come in and they’re picking out their ice cream and they laugh, I enjoy seeing the kids get excited about it,” Schroeder said. “People come in and enjoy themselves. That’s what makes it worthwhile.”