The Arehart Family

 

Mike Arehart became the owner of Kline’s in 1979.  Sam Flecther stayed on for an additional year to teach him the ropes.  Bess Kline also stayed on and became a wonderful friend and teacher to Mike. Over the years, Mike has added some new flavors and products.  He has stayed very loyal to the Kline’s philosophy of quality.  Now Mike’s sons work in the business as well.  Mike owns both of the store locations in Harrisonburg.

 

Kim Arehart began working for her brother as a young teen in the shop.  After going to college and pursuing a professional career, she opened up a Kline’s store in Staunton, VA in 1997.  Since then, Kim has added Hog Wild BBQ to the Staunton location and opened another Kline’s store in Waynesboro, VA in 2008.

 

 

About the Ice Cream

 

What makes Kline’s ice cream so smooth and creamy with an unbelievably delicious taste?  It’s all in the production method and ingredients.  We take the quality of our ice cream very seriously.  High quality ingredients and an old fashion ice cream making technique has made Kline’s an institution since 1943.  Unlike the more popular and profitable soft serve and batch methods of producing ice cream, Kline’s employs an almost obsolete process of continuous freeze production.  Other methods can yield several times more ice cream because of the air being pumped in during the whipping process.  The continuous freeze method used by Kline’s, however, does not add extra air to the product.  It is a very slow and labor intensive process.  Each location makes their own fresh ice cream each morning for the day’s sales.

 

The Kline Family

 

Established in 1943, John Kline began Kline’s Frozen Custard with the help of his father, Grover Kline, in downtown Harrisonburg, Virginia.  The ice cream stand was located in the first floor of the family’s house and customers were served through a walk up window.  From early on, Kline’s was destined to be a local favorite.  While working at the ice cream shop, John began courting a young woman across the street at the dry cleaners.  Bess went on to marry John.  She became the well known and loved face of Kline’s.  She worked the front window for decades.

 

In 1974, John Kline died and Bess sold the business.  A gentleman named Sam Fletcher owned the store until 1979.  After leaving the store for a period, Bess came back to work the window and Catherine Taylor was hired as the night manager.  Cat worked at the store for over 20 years and was very loved by all the teenage staff.

 

 

 

Family Owned

 

Custard Style

 

Made Fresh Daily

 

 

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