If you count ice cream creations among your must-have holiday treats, Elgin has a new shop to satisfy your sweet tooth. The Creamery has opened at 1785 Larkin Ave., converting what had previously been Wienerville and a Checkers into the eighth location for Romeoville-based SK Creameries. “While ou r roots are in the southwest suburbs, our long-term vision has always been to expand thoughtfully across Chicagoland,” said Leah Sisk, the company’s director of sales and marketing. Brothers Jordan, left, and Brandon Sisk own eight Creamery locations, including the one that opened Dec. 2 at 1785 Larkin Ave. in Elgin. (SK Creameries/The Creamery) In 2024, The Creamery established a residency with the Schaumburg Boomers minor league baseball team that proved to be a big hit, Sisk said. “That experience made it clear there was a strong opportunity to serve families in this area more directly,” she said. “Elgin felt like a natural next step — a vibrant, growing community with the same local pride we value in our original hometowns.” The first Creamery opened in 1981 in Frankfort and by 2010 had grown to seven locations. Sisk’s husband, Brandon, and his brother, Jordan, decided to purchase three of those stores — Homer Glen, New Lenox, and Manhattan — in 2015, and since then have added new locations in Lemont, Lombard, Sandwich and the Orland Square Mall in Orland Park. They found the Elgin site last year. Renovations were completed in November, allowing them to open in the first week of December. The spot features a drive-thru, indoor seating, a walk-up window, and patio seating. Sisk said their ice cream menu includes classic soft serve, sundaes, milkshakes, Blasters (soft serve ice cream blended with a choice of candy, cookies and other toppings) and a rotating menu of its signature Colossal shakes. A staple on the menu at The Creamery is the "Birthday Bash Colossal," which comes with birthday cake ice cream, sprinkles, a blue gummy goo sauce and a cupcake. (SK Creameries) The one Colossal shake that’s always available is the Birthday Bash, which consists of birthday cake-flavored ice cream, marshmallow drizzle, sprinkles, blue gummy goo and a birthday cupcake. They also have a lineup of hotdogs, burgers, sandwiches and sides. Guests can place orders online for in-store pickup or use Grubhub, DoorDash, and UberEats for delivery, Sisk said. The Creamery produces its ice cream, cakes and specialty desserts in Romeoville. Its catering fleet is based there, too, and serves a wide radius that includes Elgin. Sisk said the ice cream business is one that brings people together in simple, meaningful moments — after a ballgame, on a warm summer night or for a family celebrations. “We focus on creating an environment where people slow down, connect and create memories together,” she said. “It’s less about the product alone and more about the feeling of sharing something joyful with people you care about.” Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News. ...read more read less