Ice cream season unofficially starts Friday.

For many, the season never ended in the fall.

But for some area purveyors of creamy goodness who close up shop for the winter months, March means dusting off the ice cream machines once again.

Stricklands plans to reopen its original Akron location on Triplett Boulevard for the season on Friday.

This frozen custard stand dates back to 1936 when it was founded by Bill and Florence Strickland in Akron.

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There are now also Stricklands locations in Cuyahoga Falls and Green that remained open over the winter and one in Streetsboro that is set to open for the season later this month.

For more, visit https://www.mystricklands.com/.

Ice Cream stops

Pav’s Creamery. An Akron staple for ice cream lovers is Pav’s Creamery, which was once as well known for its fried chicken as it is for its frozen custard. Now it is all about ice cream that was first formulated back in 1969.

It remained open over the winter months and has locations in Green, Portage Lakes, North Canton and Cuyahoga Falls. And the menu changes often with the favorites sticking around and some fun new ones added periodically.

For more, visit https://www.pavscreamery.com/.

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream. Handel’s didn’t have its start in Akron but the folks in Youngstown have been loving its flavors since 1945.

There are now 70 some Handel’s ice cream stands in 10 states with a fair number in the Akron area.

Most are open year-round.

There are locations in Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Stow, Tallmadge, Green and Medina.

For more, visit https://handelsicecream.com/.

Durbin Magic Freeze. This ice cream stand on Wooster Road West in Barberton has been serving up cool treats since 1953.

Wintry weather doesn’t faze them as they reopened for the season in February, serving up ice cream and its tasty homemade hot fudge topping.

For more, visit https://www.durbinmagicfreeze.com/.

Country Made Ice Cream. This family owned place has been making ice cream in the same spot along state Route 303 in Richfield since 1948.

Aside from ice cream, there’s also an orchard there that grows apples, pears, peaches and plums.

The ice cream shop hasn’t set its official opening date just yet but it says it will open “sometime in March.”

For more. visit https://countrymaidicecream.com/.

Chill Ice Cream. With ice cream shops in Akron and Medina, Chill is a relatively newcomer to the area.

It was founded by three brothers who have a shared love of making ice cream and tinkering with usual and unusual flavor combinations like maple cornbread.

The menu board that changes frequently even includes some boozy combinations like Espresso Kahlua Martini and Plum Riesling.

They are open year-round.

For more, visit https://chill-icecream.com/.

Skoops’ Ice Cream. This ice cream place on Fifth Street NE in Barberton opened just as the pandemic hit Ohio.

Despite these challenges, this spot, which makes its own frozen custard, soldiered on and has built quite a following along the way.

It is open year-round.

For more, visit https://www.skoopsicecream.com/.

Craig Webb, whose favorite ice cream flavor is the boring vanilla with cherries, can be reached at [email protected]

Top 5 strickland's ice cream flavor of the day edited by Top Chef