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Columbia Missourian

Sparky's opens for weekend, just ahead of heat wave

By MATTHEW CAVANAH
February 5, 2009 | 7:22 p.m. CST
Kelly Mitchum scoops out a serving of "The King" for a customer on Thursday at Sparky's Homemade Ice Cream on Ninth Street. The store took advantage of warm weather to bring in extra business before its official opening the last week in February in conjunction with the True/False Festival. Sparky's used its fan page on Facebook to encourage customers to come in while it was open through the weekend. Once the store is officially open for the season, it will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.   ¦  MATTHEW CAVANAH/Missourian

COLUMBIA — With temperatures nearing 60 degrees on Thursday, Columbia residents had the opportunity to treat themselves to a sweet treat. Sparky's Homemade Ice Cream, 21 S. Ninth St., opened Thursday for the weekend to provide customers scoops of "The King" and "Les Bourgeois & Ghirardelli Chocolate."

Sparky's used Facebook to let "friends" of the store know about the brief opening. This weekend is only a temporary opening until the store opens later this month for the season, in conjunction with the 2009 True/False Film Festival.

For some, however, Thursday's opening provided the opportunity to try their first scoop from Sparky's.

"I've walked by here a lot of times," Columbia resident Rita Franklin said. "I finally decided to see what this is."

For others, it was a chance to get their fix of their favorite flavors. Jae Lee and Cynthia Woodcock, who both work for MU's Student Health Services, stopped in to enjoy a scoop of ice cream.

"I'm pretty sure they put addictive products in the ice cream," Lee said jokingly. "That's why we keep coming back."