Double Dipper Parlor Serves Up the Goods

It’s not everyday that you meet a plumber who also sells ice cream.

But between sealing pipes and unclogging drains, Robert Crowell now serves up ice cream as owner of near the intersection of Montgomery and Ninth Street in Old Town Laurel.

Crowell, 45, of Savage, decided to open the parlor with his wife Angie last year after purchasing the building to house his plumbing business, which is on the ground floor. He said he wanted to use the upstairs level for a business and was told by the city that it was zoned for a clothing store, a bakery or an ice cream parlor.

“I could barely bake, so we decided to open the ice cream parlor,” he said.

Crowell said he and his wife began looking for an ice cream distributor and that Hershey’s fit within the price range and quality they were looking for. The ice cream is hand made and shipped from a facility in Elkridge, he said. Coffee, tea, and sandwiches are served throughout the day at reasonable prices, he said. The Dippers’ doors officially opened in December.

“Where else can you take a family of four and all get ice cream for under $10?” he said.

The parlor seems to have become a unique fit in Old Town. It’s the first ice cream shop in at least 10 years to service the old town neighborhood, said Crowell.

He said he envisions the shop becoming a community destination, offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. The parlor features wireless internet for customers, and ample seating space and a flat screen TV.

“The customers come in happy; they leave happy,” he said. “It’s like a Starbucks in here.”

The parlor has a staff of nine, mostly from the immediate area, including several students from the near-by .

Customers, too, have been charmed by the Double Dipper.

“It’s a nice [fit] in the community,” said Beth Henehan, who works across the street at Palloti Prep. “The kids like to come here after school. It keeps them out of trouble.”