Local Family Opens New Ice Cream Parlor in Downtown Tuscaloosa

A west Alabama family has officially opened their new ice cream shoppe in the heart of downtown Tuscaloosa, where you can beat the heat seven days a week.

The Parlor, located at 514 Greensboro Avenue between Chuck's Fish and ICON, opened for business on Tuesday following a limited weekend soft opening.

It's the latest business from entrepreneurs Forrest and Christin Brown, Moundville residents who also operate Tuskaloosa Tornado Shelters.

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At the Parlor, Christin Brown told the Thread that they decided to take this leap of faith and open a dramatically different business after dining downtown one night.

"We have three kids and we went walking to look for ice cream and were shocked to find there was none," she said. "We just assumed we'd stumble upon ice cream or dessert, but as we walked around after dinner, there was nothing open."

The Browns saw an opportunity, which became all the sweeter when they found out there was a small space available to lease downtown where Big Daddy's Mediterranean Grill and hookah lounge had closed a few years ago.

They've moved in, redecorated, and have nailed the feel of the old-timey downtown sweets shoppe. The Parlor offers more than 30 flavors of award-winning ice cream from The Ice Cream Club, a producer and distributor outside Miami.

You can order cups, cones and even flights of ice cream, featuring up to six different flavors per tray. A milkshake machine is one the way, but not installed and operational just yet.

Brown said the Parlor is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. That may seem late for an ice cream shoppe, but Brown said they expect some of their most significant surges after 8 p.m., when downtown visitors and restaurant staff alike look for a sweet treat after the dinner shift.

"Y'all come try us out," Christin Brown said. We are glad to open a family-friendly option downtown, we've got a ton of good flavors, and we're just so excited to be here."

For more exclusive coverage of restaurant and retail development in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.