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(EDITOR’S NOTE: Taste the Town is a series written about local restaurants, delis, coffee shops, bakeries, breweries, wineries and distilleries in hopes to broaden the knowledge of what businesses -- new or familiar -- are in the community.)
A welcoming environment for those with green thumbs and empty stomachs is planted in South Williamsport.
The Potting Bench Market, located at 324 Matthews Blvd. in the borough, provides a variety of seasonal perennials, homegrown produce and homemade ice cream to customers.
The business, which was started in 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic closures, originally started as just a plant shop, but quickly expanded to add their fan-favorite homemade soft serve and Sunset hard ice cream.
"We saw that there is a spring period and a fall period where people buy plants... but there is this period between. We saw an opportunity that folks liked both plants and ice cream and that it might be a good mix to combine them," Dustin Solomon, co-owner, said. "(It was) a good opportunity to not only allow people to experience planting all-year round, or most of the year, but to also have the opportunity to expand our season."
The family-owned and operated business now runs nine months out of the year and closes for the season on Dec. 24.
Each week, the business has a new featured sundae.
"We try to do things that have a nostalgic feel, like things that they (customers) may remember from their childhood," Solomon said.
Some sundaes include blueberry cake sundae made with vanilla ice cream, as well as the fluffer-nutter sundae made with peanut butter and marshmallow toppings. They also have a campfire sundae and a specialty brownie sundae.
The baked goods that are used in sundaes are handmade.
"We just want to make sure that they are quality, and if possible, local ingredients," Solomon said.
This year The Potting Bench started offering dairy free and lactose free options as well.
In the fall, seasonal sundaes and treats will begin including an apple cider slush float made with local apple cider and the homemade vanilla soft serve, the pumpkin roll sundae and the caramel apple crumb sundae.
Solomon said that the fall items, like the cider slush for example, are very popular.
Other popular items include their lemonade slush, flavored gourmet popcorn and roasted nuts.
On the weekends the business takes it up a notch and sells homemade ham or pork barbeque sandwiches.
In terms of plants and crafts, mums and perennials, homegrown produce, pumpkins and gourds are available for purchase this fall as well as crafted items from local artists.
The staff at The Potting Bench also takes time to teach plant buyers how to take care of their plants at home, as well as hold workshops for customers to make their own planters, holiday baskets, wreaths and more.
"We don't just sell; we try to serve our customers," Lori Solomon, co-owner and Dustin Solomon's mother, said.
"We always are trying to create a welcoming environment, like they (customers) are enjoying themselves in their own backyard," Dustin Solomon said. "We have a really great team of people."
The team, which includes Dustin and Lori, as well as Mark Solomon and Dan Langford, provides planting advice and helps take plants to customer's cars.
Some of the Solomons' favorite memories under their ownership are the field trips that local schools take to the business.
The Potting Bench also offers fundraisers for those who are interested.
To stay up-to-date on specialty sundaes, plants, hours and events, follow The Potting Bench Market on Facebook and Instagram @pottingbenchmarket.