Sure Sign Of Spring: Hill-Top Opens [VIDEO]

After missing out on being the first customer at last March, Shane Benson was determined to do what it took to be first this year.

What it took was getting to the ice cream stand at 5 a.m. Saturday morning. Actually, Shane arrived at 4:30 but when he realized his buddy Anthony Lee wasn’t there, he went to get him.

“I was still asleep,” said Anthony. The two of them camped out from 5 on, joined at some point by friends Ben Wolf, and Quinton Mason. All four boys are 12 years old and attend Cole Middle School.

With just minutes to go before noon Saturday, when Hill-Top was at last going to open for the day and for the season, there were about two dozen people waiting in line.

On the other side of the windows, Hill-Top owners Ricky and Cindy Hoernle were just about ready. They had a new brand of hard ice cream (Bliss — ”more flavors,” said Ricky), as well as a tart frozen yogurt flavor (think Pinkberry). Equally importantly, they had veteran scoopers Heather and Brooke MacDonald ready for orders. The MacDonald sisters have a remarkable 16 years between them, with Heather celebrating 10 years as a Hill-Top employee.

For the Hoernles, who only took over the business last year, it’s the the loyal employees and customers that have eased the path for them.

"It's a community thing," said Ricky.