Shepherdstown resident Sue Collins grins after receiving her order at Rock Hill Creamery on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Customers waited in a line outside of 111 West German Street on Saturday afternoon, ready for a taste of Rock Hill Creamery ice cream on opening day weekend.

Founded by Gary Miller in Martinsburg in 1996, Rock Hill Creamery was officially closed six years ago. One of Miller’s longtime employees, however, lived in Shepherdstown and realized she wanted to bring the creamery back to life in her town.

According to owner Danielle Fuhrmann, she and Miller had often talked about her taking over the business. Unfortunately, Fuhrmann’s and Miller’s plans could not align at the time, as Fuhrmann was still in college when Miller decided to retire full-time.

“I had previously been employed by Gary in the last few years of Rock Hill Creamery. We became good friends in that time. We’d talked briefly about keeping Rock Hill Creamery going, but I was still in college and wasn’t sure it was the direction I wanted to take,” Fuhrmann said. “A couple years down the line, it just felt right. People are happy when they’re out to get ice cream, and it’s genuinely heartwarming to see!”

Finding the ideal location for her business took some time, until her current space became available last year.

Customers wait in line outside of Rock Hill Creamery on Saturday afternoon. Tabitha Johnston

“The location size seemed perfect, as you don’t need a lot of room to sling ice cream,” Fuhrmann said. “I’d looked at a couple spots, but this spot was ideal. There’s enough room upstairs to make it, and enough room downstairs for a few seats.

“The timing [to reopen] just lined up perfectly! All the paperwork was filed and the weather was warming up,” Fuhrmann said, mentioning she had most previously been a server at Blue Moon Cafe, which gave her further experience in food service before opening the shop.

One thing longtime Rock Hill Creamery customers can look forward to, is the return of many of the creamery’s distinctive flavors.

“All the recipes are the same as the original Rock Hill Creamery,” Fuhrmann said. “Our ice cream base is simply made with milk, heavy cream and sugar. No additives or extra ingredients. We think it’s delicious, and hope you do too!

“We’ve already brought back a few classics: Ram Tracks, Battering Ram and Almond Joy. Those are here to stay!” Fuhrmann said. “We’re definitely going to be bringing new flavors into the mix, too.”

Along with the traditional creamery fare, Fuhrmann has also expanded the creamery’s menu to include a couple of sorbet flavors, to accommodate her vegan and dairy-free customers.

“In the future, I’m going to be trying different ways to make dairy free ice cream. Sorbet is the simplest, most obtainable dairy free option, so we started there,” Fuhrmann said. “We’re very excited to experiment with dairy-free options in the near future!”

As to the two other iconic elements of the original Rock Hill Creamery experience — freshly made waffle cones and ice cream trucks — Fuhrmann said they may take a little more time to reintegrate into her business model.

“I don’t make the waffle cones in house — yet! We’re definitely planning to, but right now we’re just trying to get used to the swing of things. We’ve also got to perfect the waffle cone recipe,” Fuhrmann said, before mentioning the two ice cream trucks Miller used at local fairs and festivals. “The 1928 Model A has been sold, but Gary still has the 1919 Model T. Those are retired with him, though, as they’ve worked hard over the years! I’d love to eventually get back into events, but right now I’m focusing on learning about running the shop. Events were so much fun, and I look forward to taking part in them in the future!”

Rock Hill Creamery is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, to make ice cream. It is open from noon to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, and from noon to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.