PHOTO COURTESY OF BRUSTER’S REAL ICE CREAM

A runaway cow almost postponed my interview with the folks at Bruster’s Real Ice Cream.

Thankfully, I heard about the wayward bovine causing traffic backups before I took I-79 and made it to Beaver on time.

That’s where Bruce Reed founded the company that touts “cow-to-cone” freshness in 1989. Bruster’s has a brand new store at 1515 Riverside Drive, just a few hundred yards from the original building.

I guess you could say the herd’s come home.

The spot has a sleek, modern design, digital menu boards, a large patio and the first drive-thru in Western Pennsylvania.

You can smell the waffle cones being made as soon as you turn onto Riverside Drive, which boasts several bars and restaurants, including The Standard, Bigham Tavern at Bridgewater and Jerry’s Curb Service, a local landmark opened in 1947 by Reed’s dad, Jerry Reed.

The company has approximately 300 scoop shops in 27 states, including a dozen in the Pittsburgh region and five international sites in Guyana. A Shadyside location is in the works with indoor ordering, dual patios, more than 50 parking spaces and local delivery options. (Maybe they can hire cattle to do it!)

BRUSTER’S SOON-TO-OPEN SHADYSIDE LOCATION. PHOTO COURTESY OF BRUSTER’S REAL ICE CREAM

Each store receives a daily delivery from Bruster’s Titusville dairy so Certified Ice Cream Makers can whip up fresh batches. There are 150 flavors in the company’s catalog and individual stores put more than 30 on the menu each day based on community demand.

Upon my arrival, store manager Julie Maccaglia was busy making cookies & cream, my favorite. Since it’s spooky season, I also tried Hallowscream, Monster Mash, Pumpkin and Pumpkin Pecan. I topped it all off with a hot apple dumpling to quell the brain freeze.

This was my breakfast and I highly recommend it.

Not into ice cream? Bruster’s has Italian ice, sorbet, sherbert, fat- and sugar-free options, non-dairy offerings made with oat milk, cakes and pies.

Bruster’s CEO Jim Sahene says they wanted to update the original store for the next generation without losing the nostalgic feel. When edible memories are concerned, I refer to it as noshtalgia.

PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

On Aug. 25, 1991 — my brother’s 9th birthday — our family attended the grand opening of Bruster’s in Franklin Park. Jeff and Sandy Rook, who’ve run Bella Frutetto, an Italian take-out and catering joint, from the building since 2023, found a framed photo collage in the basement that claims the scoop shop set a Guinness World Record that day by selling 3,081 cones in an hour.

Holy cow!