On a trip this past summer to the Charlotte/Concord/Kannapolis area, we stopped at this Handel's…read morelocation for some ice cream on our way out of town. We used to have a Handel's location closer to us, and we miss it greatly, so we make sure to stop anytime we are near one!
Handel's is located in a strip mall-type area, in a corner unit. Specifically, it is located right off of 77 and W Catawba Avenue. There is plenty of parking for the complex, so that will not be an issue. The store has plenty of visible signage to point you in the right direction.
Our visit was on a Thursday evening in July, a little after 8:00 PM. There were several groups enjoying ice cream, but there was not an overwhelming line. I believe we only had two or three people in front of us before we were able to order. The area outside of the store is not overwhelmingly large, but they have a roped-off area to show where the line should form to avoid it spilling into the dining areas.
Some Handel's locations have an inside, but this location is completely outdoors. So, to place your order you simply walk up to the windows, and can then enjoy their patio seating or take your items to-go. When you approach the windows, you will see all of the signage, menu items, and flavors. The flavors were located on a sandwich board on the ground, which made it difficult to see if you were not directly in front of the windows. I could see this being a challenge if there was a long line, as one would not be able to see the flavor lists until right before ordering.
We were waited on by a few of the staff members. Since it was not that busy when we ordered, they seemed to be splitting duties. My fiance ordered a Small Cake Cone of Key Lime Pie, and I got a 4 Scoop Sampler with Frosted Animal Cookie, Monkey Business, Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie, and Blue Moon. I thought the scoops on the 4 Scoop were somewhat small, but no complaints other than that. Additionally, we ordered a Dogster for our dog, and of course he loved it!
Personally, the Frosted Animal Cookie was the only flavor I had not tried previously. It was alright...it is very sweet and truthfully did not remind me much of the cookie (besides the actual inclusions of animal cookies in the ice cream). It was made well, but just personally not for me. I have had all of the other flavors before, and they were all great. I love the uniqueness of Blue Moon, and also how refreshing Key Lime Pie always is.
Since it was such a nice night, we enjoyed our ice cream on the patio. I love the lights they have strung up over the seating. There were probably around 5 to 6 tables, and a few benches around the perimeter of the patio. I am not sure how busy this location gets, but I could see there being a lack of seating during peak business times. However, we had no issue grabbing a table to sit at during this visit.
I thought the prices were in line with what I would expect from a Handel's. Being that I am not from this area, it is hard to say if it is in line with other ice cream shops in the area. For all three of our items, it was around $15 with tax. My only complaint is that the Dogster was $3, which seems high.
The staff were friendly and conversational. Since there was no line, I was talking with the one staff member about the Handel's that used to be near us, and enjoyed learning more about this particular location through our conversation.
Overall, we enjoyed checking out a Handel's location we had never been to before. This is in a nice area, has plenty of parking, is clean, and has a nice atmosphere. My only critiques were the positioning for the flavors in relation to the line, pricing on some items, and the portion of the 4 Scoop Sampler. However, do not let that deter you from stopping here for a sweet treat if you are in the area!
