Ben & Jerry’s Opening Lima Mall Store Saturday

By Tim Rausch, The Lima News, Ohio

Mar. 28–LIMA — Signs are up and benches are out in the mall concourse for Ben & Jerry’s at the Lima Mall. The ice cream store will open Saturday, said mall manager Ty Penry. "Any time we can put in a high-end, high-class tenant, like a Ben & Jerry’s, in the mall, I get excited about that," Penry said. "It certainly has created a lot of buzz around Lima." The store will be located near Old Navy in the Elder-Beerman wing of the mall. Penry said the space was once occupied by St. Rita’s Medical Center and has been under renovation for about two months.

The store will be operated by Delphos franchisees Kevin and Leslie Looser, who have had a Ben & Jerry’s in Columbus for the last three years. Kevin Looser said opening up in Lima is something they’ve wanted to do for a long time and the right space was found in the Lima Mall. The store will employ about 10 people in the beginning, Looser said. "We have what we call a Cowmobile that we take out. We cater birthday parties, events," Looser said. He said that is how they serve the Columbus area, specifically the Horse Shoe and Schottenstein Center at Ohio State University. The Lima store will have the 27 flavors of ice cream in addition to merchandise. "We make our own waffle cones in-house. We’re considered a super premium ice cream. It is between us and Haagen-Dazs as to who has the best ice cream in the world," Looser said. "We just have more fun flavors." Looser said the store will have a free cone day on April 25. Proceeds of the event will benefit the Children’s Development Center in Lima.

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