NEWS

Purple Cow reopens as ice cream parlor

Laura Peters
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Business owner Becky Kincaid finds a lot of pride in her business, the Purple Cow Ice Cream Parlor, which she opened on U.S. 340 just north of Waynesboro. "It's the people that make it worth it," says Kincaid about her customers and business.

WAYNESBORO — Becky Kincaid can't contain her excitement.

People are coming into her store even though the open sign isn't blinking on.

With a smile and a laugh, she's more than happy to answer any questions and serve anyone who comes in.

"The whole community thing here is awesome," she said. "I love it."

But then again, who wouldn't stop by to see the big purple cow head off the side of U.S. 340?

For decades, the purple cow, located outside Purple Cow Ice Cream Parlor, has been a local landmark along U.S. 340 just north of Waynesboro.

Now there's life brought back into the tiny building that has served as a multitude of things after almost a decade of sitting vacant.

A few months ago Kincaid opened the Purple Cow Ice Cream Parlor starting with a local farmers market out front by the highway.

Now, she's added locally-made ice cream, pepperoni rolls, hot dogs, local honey and coffee and tea.

The purple cow is a sought-after landmark for locals and those traveling.

The Purple Cow Ice Cream Parlor is located on U.S. 340 just north of Waynesboro. "It's the people that make it worth it," says owner Becky Kincaid about her customers and business.

The plaster of paris purple cow head, originated at the Monticello Dairy and was hoisted up a 15-foot pole in 1963, according to The News Leader archives.

The cow head even has it's own road named for it — Purple Cow Road.

For Kincaid, she loves that she's part of the amusement attraction now.

"I live at the end of the road," she said. "So I like to say I have both ends of the cow now."

The building has been empty since 2006 or 2007, Kincaid said, because many feared the rundown building would require too much maintenance. In 2005, the spot also housed an ice cream shop called Purple Cow Ice Cream Corral.

Originally, the purple cow was an ice cream and hamburger place in the 1960s, then it then stood as a used car lot for years.

Kincaid said she only invested about $3,000 in redoing the building with the help from her husband.

Kincaid has no previous restaurant experience but has hired a trained barista to help show her the ropes of slinging coffee and other caffeinated drinks. Kincaid said she quit her job at a lab out of Augusta Health two weeks ago.

The excitement of plunging into a new business and meeting new people is what is getting Kincaid by.

She is also using a lot of locally sourced produce, foods and Mount Crawford Creamery's cream in making the ice cream.

A local business from Bridgewater called Smiley's Ice Cream is making the ice cream for Kincaid's store. She also just got in a soft serve machine and it will be up and running in the coming week.

She plans on holding a flea market and yard sale the last Saturday of every month and having the farm stand functioning from April to November. The parlor is open Tuesday through Friday 1 to 9 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

"It's been such a joy," she said. "Watching someone eating ice cream and handing them something that is nourishing them is emotional and spiritual to me."

Business owner Becky Kincaid socializes with a costumer who just bought a scoop of vanilla ice cream at the Purple Cow Ice Cream Parlor located on U.S. 340 just north of Waynesboro on Thursday, July 30, 2015. “It’s the people that make it worth it,” says Kincaid about her business.

For more information go to its Facebook page: Purple Cow Ice Cream Parlor.

Follow Laura Peters@peterslaura and@peterpants. You can reach her at[email protected] or 213-9125.