The Gaston County sweet spot is known for making ice cream “the old-fashioned way” for more than 100 years. But there is much more to the story, as told by a new exhibit at The Gaston County Museum of Art & History.
by Sharon Smith
We knew Tony’s Ice Cream was a special place in downtown Gastonia. You’d be hard-pressed to find a local who hasn’t tried a scoop, from toddlers to great-grandparents.
Now the folks at Tony’s can claim their ice cream is museum quality, too. The Old-Fashioned Way: The Tony’s Ice Cream Story opens March 8. Ice cream fans will find family-friendly exhibits about Tony’s cool, creamy confections, including their signature chocolate flavor. There’s also a documentary about the Coletta and Jannetta families, who settled in Gastonia from Italy and Scotland. In 1915, Carmine Coletta started selling homemade ice cream from a pushcart; now the family-owned business is run by Carmine’s grandson, Louis Coletta.
“Everyone has a favorite memory of Tony’s,” says Museum director Alexandrea Pizza. “And behind every one of those memories is a family that worked hard to create the American success story.”
We are fans of Tony’s Ice Cream, too. Style Editor Whitley Adkins shared a behind-the scenes look at the local landmark last year. Adkins was also drawn to that distinctive yellow brick building on East Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia, a familiar place to so many. SP
Photos by Richard Israel as featured in Local landmarks: Tony’s Ice Cream
The Museum is open Tues. – Sat.; admission is free. The exhibit runs through July 2026.
