Jones County’s first ice cream shop opened last weekend with an enthusiastic welcome from the community.
Cone Crazy on Main officially opened for business at 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 3. The ice cream shop is located at 123 W. Clinton Street in Gray and is owned by Paige and Billy Horne. The hours of operation for the shop are 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
The store offers 24 premium hand-dipped ice cream flavors, including non-dairy and no-sugar- added options, all served in handmade cones, cups, in a milkshake or on a Belgian waffle. Specials, updates and other information about the shop is available on its Cone Crazy on Main Facebook page.
The grand opening included a downtown debut sponsored by Main Street Gray and ribbon cutting sponsored by the Gray/Jones County Chamber of Commerce. The event featured a live broadcast by Laura Starling with WDEN and drawings throughout the day for giveaways donated by local businesses.
According to the business’s Facebook post at the conclusion of its first day, even a five-hour power outage did not deter customers from supporting the new ice cream shop.
In a Aug. 2 interview with the owners, Paige said she and Billy are both from Jones County and graduates of Jones County High School. The couple is not new to the business world. They have been the owners of Well Tap Mobile Bar for two and a half years that caters weddings, parties and other events.
Paige was in the restaurant business for 16 years with S&S Cafeteria and also operates her own business as the published author of more than a dozen romance novels available in bookstores and on Amazon.
Billy worked in the film industry in Atlanta for seven years but came home to work during the pandemic.
Paige said the idea for the ice cream shop came from her mother-in-law, Cathy Horne. When she saw the building for lease, she called Downtown Development Authority Chairman Sherri Rollins and pitched the idea of an ice shop.
“She liked the idea, and we decided to run with it,” the owner said.
When they looked at the building space, Paige said they knew it was going to be a lot of work. But she said the DDA did an incredible job with the renovations.
“They listened to Billy’s ideas with the shop design, and I designed the seating area,” she said.
Paige said she and Billy have been working together for years and have no qualms about working together in the business. They have had support throughout the project from both their families.
Friday evening before the opening, both Cathy Horne and Paige’s mother Angie Peacock were hard at work.
“Billy and my dad constructed the counter, which saved a lot,” Paige said.
Billy said working on getting the business started was easier at first but became a lot at crunch time.
“There was a lot of little stuff,” he added.
The owner noted that their premium, handdipped ice cream is not available anywhere else within a four-hour drive.
They both have their favorite flavors. For Paige its ‘let’s go bananas’, which is tribute to Elvis, featuring peanut butter and bananas. Billy said his favorite is ‘salty turtle.’
Paige said she hopes people feel like the ice cream shop is a place to bring their laptops and hang out. There are chargers at every table.
Billy said they enjoy being downtown and look forward to the Fall Festival and events like Fridays on Main that encourage foot traffic.
Paige said it has been exciting to become a part of Downtown Gray.
“The businesses have all been welcoming, helping accept deliveries and any other ways they could,” she said. “We all want each other to succeed.”
