Ice cream businesses brave the winter months

The holidays are here, and while customers are lining up for warm apple cider and hot chocolate at Starbucks, Bloomington's ice cream stores are trying to keep up.\nTim May, owner of the Bloomington landmark The Chocolate Moose, said he considers fall and winter his time to relax with his family. \n"I usually close the weekend before Thanksgiving and reopen about the second week in February," May said.\nThis time is May's only real break each year. \n"I've thought about other things to do," he said, "but I'd really miss my winters."\nThe Chocolate Moose sells homemade pumpkin ice cream starting in September, which May said his loyal customers are sure to stock up on before he closes. \nHe donates leftovers to the Hoosier Hills Food Band and Habitat for Humanity.\nMay also runs a business selling bags of ice to local restaurants. During the holiday rush, especially in the restaurants by the College Mall, he said he can count on selling a good amount of ice in the first part of November.\n"I enjoy my time off," he said. "It's nice to be home for the holidays."\nOther Bloomington favorites, such as Cold Stone Creamery and Bruster's Real Ice Cream, brave the winter season and stay open.\nBruster's is known for its hot apple dumplings and offers three kinds of pumpkin ice cream: regular, pumpkin cheesecake and pumpkin-pie ripple, which contains marshmallows.\nBruster's also sells deep-dish apple pie and caramel apple ice cream flavors. In December, the shop specializes in rum raisin, eggnog and peppermint stick. \nAs far as fall and winter sales go, Bruster's owner Marcia Stewart said it depends largely on the climate.\n"It's weather, weather, weather," she said. "Raining and cold wind is almost worse for business than snow."\nBoth May of The Chocolate Moose and Stewart reported seeing a drop in sales, usually beginning in October.\n"I've never had nobody," Stewart said. "We do sell lots of milk shakes. People like to get them to-go and drink them in their warm cars."\nOther changes include shorter hours for the staff.\n"I always start cutting back with labor," May said. \nStewart said it can be a challenge to give employees as many hours as possible while trying to keep up with heating bills.\nWhen the weather starts to get colder, The Chocolate Moose and Bruster's close at 9 p.m. \nOn the other side of the spectrum, Cold Stone owner Barry Keaton said that, according to recent research the company has done, people eat more ice cream during winter than summer. \n"In the winter, people's homes are nice and cozy," he said, "and ice cream seems to fit the bill."\nAlong with pumpkin pie and dark chocolate peppermint ice cream flavors, Cold Stone now offers its signature creations to-go. You can buy flavors such as Founder's Favorite, Birthday Cake Remix and Chocolate Devotion in sizes "mine," "ours" or "everybody's."\nCold Stone also runs fundraisers with local organizations such as sororities and fraternities and the National Guard in the winter. Keaton said he remembers a specific fundraiser last year.\n"People were out the door all night, and it was 20 degrees and snowing," he said.\nColds Stone's hours are, however, limited during the colder months as well.\n"Especially at Kirkwood," Keaton said, "which is more student-oriented."\nKeaton, a self-proclaimed "real passionate ice cream guy," said he'd rather work in winter. \nBoth Bruster's and Cold Stone are closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.\nIf all the seasonal flavors aren't enough to get people eating ice cream in the fall and winter, Stewart said Bruster's runs a special promotion: If it's raining or snowing on the lot when you order, your second dip of ice cream is free. \n"Just don't forget we're here," she said.