COLONIE — After 44 years of ownership, Kurver Kreme, the beloved soft-serve ice cream stand on Central Avenue, has been sold to new owners. Despite the change in ownership, customers can expect the same ice cream offerings starting this spring, with minimal changes to the stand’s operations.
Cheryl Apple, who has been involved with the ice cream stand since she was 10 years old, decided it was time to step down. “My most important thing was to find a buyer that would carry on Kurver’s,” Apple said. “It just had to be right.”
Apple, who has long been friends with the new owner David Hostig, was prompted to sell after a conversation in which she casually asked if Hostig knew anyone interested in buying an ice cream stand. A few months later, Hostig, along with his business partner Mark Wagner, approached Apple about purchasing the stand.
Hostig, who also owns Normanside, a Delmar-based country club, event venue, and restaurant, partnered with Wagner, an Albany attorney and owner of Waterford Wine & Spirits, to acquire Kurver Kreme. While neither Hostig nor Wagner were regular customers of the stand, Hostig recognized the value of the Kurver legacy and saw it as a promising business opportunity. “Everybody loves ice cream. It makes so many people happy. It’s a recession-proof model,” Hostig explained.
Apple will remain on board for a transitional period, helping the new owners learn the ropes, including making Kurver Kreme’s signature ice cream and custom cakes, which the stand sells about 150 of per month. Hostig emphasized that preserving the stand’s classic offerings was a priority. “We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s important not to change things,” he said.
The stand, typically open from mid-March to early April, will aim for the same spring opening, despite the overlap in busy seasons with Hostig’s country club. Hostig also plans to cross-promote the ice cream by offering Kurver Kreme soft serve at Normanside.
The decision to sell was an emotional one for Apple, who has watched generations of customers and staff grow alongside the business. She fondly recalled how children who started working at the stand in their teens have returned over the years, with their own children in tow. “We’ve watched generation after generation come through,” Apple said. “We feel so honored to be part of this community.”
The sale was finalized on Wednesday, marking the first time in decades that Apple no longer owns Kurver Kreme. For the first time, she will have a summer free from the business that has defined her family’s life. “This will be the first summer that we don’t have to spend seven days a week at the stand,” she said.
Apple plans to spend her newfound free time planting a garden—something she’s always wanted to do but never had the time for during the summer months. Reflecting on her decision, she said, “Life is short. This was the perfect opportunity for us.”
For the new owners, the future of Kurver Kreme looks bright, with the stand’s long-standing community presence and iconic ice cream still at the heart of the business.
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