Sugar Shack by the Tracks Serves Up Sweet Treats and Retro Vibes in Lockland

Sugar Shack on the Tracks opened in Lockland in late June. Photo: instagram.com/sugarshacksonthetrack

This story is featured in CityBeat’s Aug. 23 print edition.

A brand new ice cream parlor on the Lockland and Reading border is serving up ice cream, sundaes and good times. Sugar Shack by the Tracks is owned and run by a local family — Erika, John, and their two sons. (The family did not want their last names included in this story).

Their dreams of owning an ice cream shop came to fruition a few years ago while the family was enjoying a visit to one themselves. “We were actually at an ice cream shop ourselves one night, and we were just watching everybody in line,” said Erika. “Like, everybody is just so happy. We thought, ‘How fun would this be to own an ice cream shop?’ It’s such an upbeat thing.”

The couple toyed with the idea of opening their own ice cream spot for a few years before buying their current location and doing a total overhaul on it to bring their vision to life, eventually opening Sugar Shack by the Tracks in late June. The site had been a medley of businesses in the past and most recently sat empty before the family decided to buy it and renovate it. Since John works in the general contracting and construction business, he was able to do a total renovation on the spot with a 1950s theme, seen both in the building’s design and on the menu. “I’m all about themes, so I just ran with it,” said Erika.

And run with it, she did. When you first step up to order, above your head, you’ll notice a ceiling covered with 700 gleaming hubcaps, each shined and polished by Erika. “It was such a chore, but it looks so cool on the ceiling,” she said. There are murals painted around the building that all have a personal touch with a 1950s flair that they encourage guests to take pictures with. One is a painting of a vintage car with Erika and John’s wedding date used on the license plate, so her husband always remembers, Erika jokes. Another mural remembers the family’s much-loved Corgi, who has passed, joyfully licking an ice cream cone.

The location features a covered patio with outdoor seating, along with additional uncovered seating on astroturf next to the building, which allows visitors to sit and enjoy the train tracks, along with a drive-thru window on the side of the building.

The menu includes an extensive list of homemade hand-dipped ice creams, sundaes, milkshakes, soft-serve and fruity Dole whip flavors. Erika used trial and error to create all of the hand-dipped ice cream recipes herself and used feedback from family and friends to fine-tune the flavors. “I’ve been driving around with my sample cups for all of my friends and family, dropping them off around Reading and Lockland to get everyone’s feedback since I make my own flavors of the hand-dipped ice cream,” she said.

Some of the current most popular flavors are butter pecan, which Erika said took five different versions to nail down; cookies and cream; and cherry cordial.

The sundaes are also a big hit, all inspired by both 1950s pop culture and local landmarks, including the Exit 12, which gives a nod to the location’s exit just off of I-75, and the Benson Banana Split for the Reading Bridal District.

Another customer favorite is the Knuckle Sandwich, an ice cream sandwich made with two homemade cookies that Erika says are the size of her hands. “It’s just fun to open the window and say, ‘I’ve got a knuckle sandwich for Sarah,'” she said. Along with the murals, Erika says it’s become a thing for people to order and take pictures with the giant ice cream sandwich due to its enormous size. Erika plans to add Italian ice to the menu, which will be homemade too.

And not only do they provide sweet treats for humans, but they welcome dogs too. Erika says they’re huge dog lovers, so she made a special treat for four-legged friends called the Pawsicle Cup, that’s made with whipped cream and a frozen homemade dog treat blended with yogurt, peanut butter and pumpkin.

Since opening at the end of June, the location has been a hot spot for the community. Initially, Erika planned to do a soft opening on June 30 with no advertising to give the workers a chance to learn the ropes, but she says they’ve been slammed since day one. “There was no chill period; it just went,” she said. “It was zero to sixty in one day. But it’s been awesome.”

But through it all, the family is having fun bonding and hosting events for the local community. “We’re just having a really good time,” Erika said. Recently, both the Reading and Lockland school district football teams have given them jerseys to display. They even had a train stop for ice cream while passing through town. “The outpouring we’ve had from the community and just turning that corner around something positive,” she said. “It’s been so sweet.”

Sugar Shack by the Tracks plans to be open seasonally until October this year.

Sugar Shack by the Tracks, 405 E Wyoming Ave., Lockland. Info: sugarshackbythetracks.com.

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