Popular Ice Cream Shop Plans Closing, Reopening Dates In Cheshire

CHESHIRE, CT — Sweet Claude’s Ice Cream plans to close its longtime location on South Main Street in Cheshire next month to prepare for its move to its new space inside the Ball & Socket Arts center, according to the Record-Journal.

The Record-Journal reported Sweet Claude’s last day on South Main Street will April 17 with a planned grand opening at Ball & Socket on May 1.

Sweet Claude’s will have 3,300-square feet of operational space at the new place and the ice cream shop is planning on having an electronic payment system after being cash-only from the beginning, according to the Record-Journal.

The Ball & Socket building is at the corner of Willow Street and West Main Street.

A local non-profit group has been working for several years to transform the historic Ball & Socket factory into an arts center. Ball & Socket Arts was founded by three Cheshire High School graduates (Class of 1986) – Ilona Somogyi, Kevin Daly and Jeffrey Guimond.

"We are working to transform the historic Ball & Socket factory in Cheshire, CT into a world-class arts and entertainment complex housing art galleries, performing spaces, studio and co-work spaces, restaurants and retail establishments," reads a statement from the founders on the Ball & Socket website. "When operational, Ball & Socket Arts will present its own curated exhibitions and programs, and offer our spaces to other arts and community service organizations, both professional and amateur, for meetings, events and presentations of their work.

"We hope Ball & Socket will become a hub of arts and community activity where passionate people can discover, work and learn alongside one other for the betterment of all."

Read the full story at the Record-Journal here.

For more information on the Ball & Socket Arts project, visit its website here and on Facebook here.