Mendham Creamery Brings Ice Cream Back To Town

MENDHAM, NJ — Following a successful soft opening that saw strong community turn out, the brand new Mendham Creamery is making a name for itself as a go-to Mendham business.

The shop, owned by Mendham residents Joseph ‘Bud’ Murphy and Sean McDonough, is the only local ice cream shop in the Mendhams, and has had strong support by the community so far.

“The town was really behind us and cheering us the whole way,” Murphy said. “They embraced our idea to bring a business to town that brings people together, that gives our kids a place to hang out outside of school and sports. We’ve really been blown away by the enthusiasm and the response from the whole community.”

Mendham Creamery serves 24 flavors of Hersey's ice cream, in addition to shakes, smoothies, soft-serve ice creams and store-made ice cream cakes and sandwiches. There's two inside tables, benches, and a front porch for customers to eat and spend time together at.

The pair takes the idea of community loyalty seriously, sourcing a significant amount of labor from the Mendham-Chester area. The counter is staffed exclusively by Mendham and Chester residents and students.

“Everything was locally sourced,” McDonough said. “The sign for our business was created by a millworker in town, who used three-inch mahogany. Another artisan in town hand-crafted the bracket that holds the sign up. We really wanted to create a store and a destination that represents the best of Mendham.”

When they're not doling out sweet treats, the owners have unusually stressful day jobs: Murphy works as a divorce lawyer, and McDonough, a combat veteran, works as a full-time firefighter.

Their wives, Colleen Murphy and Dawn McDonough, have been an important part in the process, pitching in long hours and helping train employees.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for the past 10 years,” Murphy said. “My legal colleagues all thought it was a great idea, and Sean and I are thrilled to bring ice cream back to Mendham while also bringing a little bit of levity to our lives.”

Mendham Creamery is located at 2A Hilltop Road in Mendham. They're open seven days a week from noon to 10 p.m. Visit their website here.

Image: Sean, left, and Bud, right, via Mendham Creamery