Business Profile: Sweet Anniez Ice Cream and Candy Shop, White Plains
After years of running restaurants in local Westchester towns, Annie McGovern and her husband, Brian Perroni, have come back to their White Plains neighborhood to open an ice cream store.
The business, known as Sweet Anniez Ice Cream and Candy Shop, opened its doors two weeks ago. It’s a breath of fresh air for McGovern who has always wanted to open a business in what she described as “our backyard.” In fact, the store, which is located at 341 Mamaroneck Avenue, is a mere two blocks from where she, her husband and two children live, and McGovern said she already knows at least 99 percent of her customers.
The property is a familiar one to McGovern, who grew up in the vicinity. Known since 1955 as “Mr. C’s Deli,” McGovern remembered the original owner, who died a year and a half ago. Though she knew him only as Mr. C, she said he and his wife were a fixture in the neighborhood and were known for making quality sandwiches and other lunch specials.
Before McGovern and Perroni, a professional chef, purchased the property, the business was still operating as a deli, but under different ownership. Today, there’s no evidence of that former place, just a bright, adorable ice cream shop with fun pictures and artwork on the walls and lots of delicious ice cream and candy for customers to choose from.
“We really want this to be a fun neighborhood hang-out for kids and their families, and also a place that has a real neighborhood feel to it,” said McGovern, who is the daughter of the late Joan McGovern, the founder of the Lord’s Pantry, a non-profit organization that operates meal deliveries to homebound HIV and AIDS sufferers.
In her mother’s memory, McGovern named one of her ice cream specialties after her, calling it “Grandma Joan’s Espresso Chunk.” McGovern said her mother loved ice cream and in many ways this new business is dedicated to her.
Apart from that extra special treat, McGovern and Perroni have quite a selection of tasty sweets, including dairy-free smoothies, milkshakes, ice cream sundaes and banana splits, as well as a variety of ice cream flavors to choose from, including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chocolate chip, pistachio, raspberry chip, coconut and more.
In a separate fridge, there’s also a selection of ice cream cakes made by Perroni as well the store’s signature S’mores Ice Cream Sandwich and Frozen S’mores.
On a warm day, a cool lemonade drink is the ticket, but in the winter, McGovern will further expand her hot-tasting offerings that now include coffee, tea, cappuccino, espresso and lattes to a full menu of desserts. She plans to collaborate with local baker Cathy Schauber of Cathy’s Biscotti to help her realize that plan.
Using her knack for creating gift baskets for all occasions, McGovern has given customers the option to create their own using a wide variety of candy available at the store. You’ll find a well-stocked supply of old-fashioned candies like Atomic Fireballs, Lemonheads, Gumballs and Mary Janes, to name a few.
If a customer wants to order a specialty gift basket, McGovern can help with that too, adding theme-specific items to gift baskets for baby showers, wedding showers, birthdays, graduations and more. A selection of party favors can also be found at the store, each one filled with candy.
In the near future, the couple hopes to unveil their own special candy cart that can be used for all sorts of celebrations. The cart can be used as an accompaniment to a party celebration or as an alternative to party favors. McGovern is also in the process of equipping an ice cream cart for use at parties, parades and corporate events.
McGovern is delighted to work in a neighborhood and among people she’s known all her life. “This is really our own little dream come true,” she said.
Sweet Anniez Ice Cream and Candy Shop is open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sundays from 12 to 9 p.m. For more information, call (914) 437-5200.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
