Bites Nearby: Jack's Custard Company

Warm weather and cold ice cream go hand-in-hand, and a beloved Brighton shop is making custard an option downtown.

has won the loyalty of locals, who line up for the homemade flavors and fabulous cakes made fresh daily at its little shop on Lee Road, open since 2006.

Last Saturday, Jack's celebrated the grand opening of its brand new custard cafe in the heart of downtown Brighton. Located at 415 Mill Pond Lane, behind and , the shop overlooks the Imagination Station and offers outdoor seating.

The old location will stay open until the end of July, when it will close permanently.

Sheryl Kemmerling, who owns Jack's Custard with her husband Mark, and her parents Jack and Carol Samples, said she has been scouting locations downtown for months.

"Brighton is a booming community right now. There's lots going on and it's become more kid-friendly," Kemmerling said. "It's the perfect spot for us."

At Jack's, custard is made fresh every morning using ingredients from a local dairy. Vanilla and chocolate are always on tap, and special flavors, like strawberry, cinnamon, cake batter and espresso, are mixed fresh daily.

Generous scoops are $2.35 for adults and $1.89 for kids.

Specialty cakes, made with layers of cake and custard and sprinkled with toppings, can be custom decorated for special occasions, and sell for $11.50-$29.50.

Offerings also include coffees, shakes and floats, smoothies, various decadent dessert creations like cream puffs and banana splits, along with soups, chili, hot dogs and coney dogs.

The Kemmerlings, long-time Brighton residents, have a son, Ryan, in graduate school at Wayne State University, and two daughtes, Reily and Lindsay, who attend . They stay involved with the community, providing custard for local ice cream socials, daddy daughter dances and other fund-raising events.

"If you give, you get back, that's what I believe," Sheryl Kemmerling said.

Jack's Custard offers free samples every day. This week's featured flavors are raspberry brownie and chocoholic (chocolate custard with fudge and Oreo cookie crumbles).