Kline’s Dairy Bar is a small ice cream shop with four locations in Virginia. It was established in 1943 in Downtown Harrisonburg in the Kline’s family home. After the death of John Kline, the owner, it was bought out and expanded to three other locations. It uses an old fashioned way of production called continuous freeze instead of the newer and more popular soft serve method. This means that there is less air added into the ice cream as it freezes, making for a denser product more like old-fashioned frozen custard. Since this means of production takes more time, the shops only make three flavors a week. They update their customers on the flavors using their website and their Twitter account.
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History
John Kline asked for the help from his father, Grover Kline, in 1943 to help him start Kline’s Frozen Custard. They first started selling their product in their home, having customers come up to a window in their house. John then married Bess, a woman who worked across the street at the dry cleaners. Bess worked the window for years, getting to know the customers and becoming the face of the shop. When John Kline died in 1974, Bess sold the business to a man named Sam Fletcher. Bess continued to work under Sam Fletcher until he sold it to Mike Arehart in 1979. Bess Kline stayed a part of the team to teach Mike Arehart the ropes. Mike owns the two locations in Harrisonburg and has remained loyal to the beliefs of the business throughout the years. “Arehart carries on a tradition of premium ice cream that began in 1943 when Bess and John Kline first opened their ice cream shop”. Mike’s sister Kim Arehart returned from college in 1979 wanting to work in the business. She brought Kline’s to a new location, Staunton Virginia, in 1997. Then again in 2008 she expanded to add a new store in Waynesboro Virginia. Mike Arehart still owns the two locations in Harrisonburg while Kim owns the two other locations in Virginia. Both have decided to stay with the original style of production. Kim explains that this old fashioned production is what sets them apart: "I couldn't turn my back on the Kline's tradition," she said Thursday. "This is our niche, we understand it, and we've gotten very good at it.”
Production
The continuous freeze method of producing ice cream is nearly obsolete along the east coast. “Though popular in some parts of the Midwest, particularly Milwaukee, the custard-style confection -- also known as continuous freeze ice cream -- is a rarity in Virginia and most of the United States.“ This continuous freeze method means that the ice cream is frozen and mixed at the same time with little air added during this process. The more popular soft-serve method of production churns the ice cream then adds a substantial amount of air while it is being frozen. The soft serve method allows for larger batches to be made at one time and produces a lighter, air filled ice cream. Bigger ice cream chains such as Dairy Queen use this soft serve method. The original owners of Dairy Queen teamed up to create a new freezer that was larger and could hold much more of the product. “The basic principle behind this new freezer concept was to scrape frozen mix from the inside of a drum resembling the barrel of a batch brine freezer, and pump air into the mix as it was frozen.” Because Kline's does not use this method, they make smaller batches and cannot work as efficiently as the chain businesses. Kline’s product is denser since there is less air added into the mixture. “It also means more milk, fruit and flavoring in every cup or cone.” Each batch of continuous freeze is “a process that only takes about two minutes from start to finish”. But since it does not make as much as the conventional soft serve method, it takes much longer to make the same amount through this method. With continuous freeze, very little air is added as the machines slowly push out the final product, making only about 10 gallons an hour. Despite the time and effort it takes to use this method, Kline's makes their ice cream fresh everyday. In order to make up for the time of production, they only make three flavors every week and have a rather rushed atmosphere. Kline’s makes their ice cream fresh every morning to sell throughout the day.
Flavors
Because Kline’s makes their ice cream every morning and it takes so long to make each flavor, they have one special flavor a week. They always make chocolate and vanilla and rotate in this special flavor. This creates a way for them to compete with the faster chain ice cream sellers. They choose not to mix flavors but to keep these three simple flavors, milkshakes, and sundaes. “Arehart said the menu is streamlined and designed to serve as many people as fast as it can.” They choose the special flavor of the week from 12 regulars including peanut butter, black raspberry, and Oreo. They put up the flavor of the week on their website and their Twitter page as well as having a sign outside to let the customers know. This fast pace and simple menu continues through their service. Costumers walk up to a service window, similar to the one in John Kline’s family home in 1943, and order. They are served quickly in order to keep the line moving. Costumers then can choose to sit on near by benches or tables.
Hog Wild
When Kim Arehart expanded to open Kline’s in Staunton, Virginia, she also opened Hog Wild BBQ in 1997. This Staunton location is the only location whose menu offers more than ice cream. The Staunton menu offers Carolina style barbecue, hot dogs, burgers, and other sides.They are available to cater for up to 200 people. It has made its name in Staunton by selling BBQ by the pound at affordable prices. "Hog Wild BBQ sells take-home BBQ by the pound... in either Southwestern and Carolina Vinegar Pepper styles."