CROFTON, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – A local family has recently entered the ice cream businesses, with The Depot now serving the Crofton community. Whether someone is looking for a smooth milkshake, a dirty soda, or just a place to gather with friends, the Steffen family excited to grow their new shop in the community
“This is a whole new adventure,” owner Higgins Steffen told Christian County Now. He and his wife landed in Crofton a few years ago and quickly fell in love with the small town feel of the area. The Depot sits on a large lot on South Madisonville Street, with both of them immediately imagining the potential in the space for a new business.
“We are just getting started, it’s all a work in progress,” he said, sharing their plan to build up and evolve the businesses over time and slowly tweak and beautify the space. “We are excited for all of the different things we could do with the spot.”
Their goal is to keep their menu simple and affordable, offering up an array of frozen treats and drinks. They currently have soft serve ice cream, milkshakes, twisters, sundaes, floats and dirty sodas. One of their specialty drinks is a lemon lime dirty soda with lavender.
Since opening their doors, they have already seen incredible community support, even selling out of ice cream on their first day. Marked with a large sign in their gravel lot, customers can walk up and order at the window and can either take their treats to go, or relax at an outdoor table.
The Depot is a family affair with the little ones helping out any way they can while watching their parents put in the hard work. The family of seven is comprised of five kids ranging from two months to ten years old. He said, “We try to include them in everything and teach them in all aspects of life.”
With the goal of ultimately being a coffee and creamery shop, in early 2027 they are planning on renovating to make way for coffee appliances and equipment. This will allow them to expand their menu beyond ice cream and further expand.
“We want it to be a community hangout spot,” Steffen said. “We don’t have many spots to just gather.” With community connection in mind, they have already invited a local pretzel food truck to park on their lot to give customers more options. Plus, in the future, they hope to possibly evolve into hosting farmers markets or inviting in other vendors with live music.
The Depot is located at 184 South Madisonville Street in Crofton. Visit their Facebook page for updates and more information.
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