As temperatures soar in Dickinson County, residents and visitors from Northern Wisconsin are flocking to Lake Antoine and the Ice Cream Barn to cool off.
Fourteen-year-old Dorian, a regular visitor from Niagara, made an exception to his weekend visits, heading to the lake on Tuesday. “I just find people to hang out with,” he said. “We play games in the water, see who can swim out to the buoy, and play games on the play gym.”
Meanwhile, others sought relief at Iron Mountain’s Ice Cream Barn, which boasts nearly 30 flavors of ice cream, along with malts, shakes, and freshly popped popcorn. General Manager Melanie Lawnicki noted the shop’s popularity, especially during peak hours. “About three to four, we get busy, and then around seven or eight at night, we get super busy,” she said. “Not at noon, no. It’s usually maybe one or two coming to get their ice cream right away, but when it’s hot out, sometimes they are waiting outside the door.”
The Ice Cream Barn keeps a well-stocked freezer with 100 to 200 three-gallon tubs of ice cream, replenishing weekly to avoid running out of popular flavors. Lawnicki mentioned the newest addition to their menu, ice cream dips with soft serve. “We have cherry, cotton candy, blue raspberry, and six or seven new flavors—that’s my favorite.”
The Ice Cream Barn operates seven days a week, from noon until 9 p.m.
