The Ice Cream Barr celebrated the grand opening of its newest counter, inside Artisan Haven in downtown Brooksville, with a four day party over Labor Day weekend. The celebration ran Sept. 4 through Sept. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. each evening at 134 E Fort Dade Ave, with live music, games, prizes, and ice cream and coffee specials. The counter had a soft opening on Aug. 20.

Artisan Haven is a downtown boutique that pairs coffee, teas and handcrafted mocktails with work from local artists and vendors. The ice cream counter is the fourth location for the Barr family creamery, which also serves from Good Time at 500 S Broad St. in Brooksville, Crumps Landing in Homosassa and The Production House in Masaryktown.

Rebekah and James Barr met at film school in Orlando in 2005 and spent a decade working in the film industry in Los Angeles. When they were ready to start a family they moved to Brooksville, where their family has deep roots. "Upon our arrival in Brooksville, we quickly discovered the abundance of farm fresh foods, local culinary delights, and even a local manufacturer of ice cream machines," they write on the creamery's website.

They started small, making ice cream at home and experimenting with flavors, and the shop opened in 2020, a year when businesses around them were closing. The creamery makes its sauces, purees and almost all of its mix ins from scratch. The menu runs from classics like chocolate, vanilla and salted caramel to signature sundaes, alongside coffee, teas and lemonades.

The Barrs describe giving back to the town as part of the point, calling it "both our calling and commitment to give back in any way we can, by offering the very best that our beloved hometown has to offer." The opening party wrapped up on the evening of Sept. 7; the counter inside Artisan Haven stays open.