Cape Cod’s Sundae School Ice Cream Shop Could Face Demolition

A beloved ice cream shop in Harwich Port could be demolished to make way for a 28-unit housing project.

The Sundae School Homemade Ice Cream shop on Route 28 could meet its fate from a proposed development project that would raze the well-known Cape Cod ice cream establishment. 

The Harwich Port location of Sundae School opened in 1998 and was sold to new owners in 2023. Residents in the area told CBS News Boston they were originally told the ice cream shop would stay in their neighborhood.

"The actual character of it is very like Cape Cod ice cream shop kind of energy. When you walk in, it's just very reminiscent of another time," Hailey Davis of Harwich Port said. "That's sad because it's just an iconic spot."

The Harwich Port planning board held a meeting on Tuesday, May 20, where members considered a site review and special permit for the proposed housing development.

Sundae School Homemade Ice Cream opens for what could be its last season in the community later this week. Mark Waldman, who lives next door to the ice cream shop, told CBS News Boston, "It's just been part of our lives for almost 25 years. Both of my kids worked here. It's not ideal for us, but I understand it. It's a lot of land with a tiny little footprint."

In addition to Harwich Port, Sundae School operates another ice cream shop location in Dennisport. According to its website, the company has been making its homemade ice cream on the Cape since 1976.