New Ice Cream Shop Coming to East Greenwich

EAST GREENWICH, RI—The owner of a popular ice cream business and staple of Cranston’s Pawtuxet Village is planning to open up shop here in East Greenwich.

Dear Hearts will be moving in to the former Drizzle Pizza location at 1855 South County Trail.

Owner Jeffrey Butler got his victualing license from the East Greenwich Town Council on Monday and said he purchased the property in November, so he’ll be an owner/operator at the spot.

In fact, he said, opening a new Dear Hearts in East Greenwich was “an afterthought” and he originally eyed the site as an investment. But over time, he said, he realized that “it’s such a great spot.”

Butler said that the property is zoned for a convenience store and he will operate as one, but the ice cream portion of the business will be just like the other Dear Hearts locations he operates across the state.

Butler has owned Dear Hearts in Cranston’s Pawtuxet Village for 17 years. There are also Dear Hearts in West Warwick, Smithfield and Warwick.

Along with the unanimous vote in favor of the license, council members couldn’t help but reveal their love for ice cream.

Councilwoman Suzanne McGee Cienki said that she’s been to a Dear Hearts before.

“I love your ice cream,” she said.

Town Council President Michael B. Isaacs said he was feeling enthusiastic after other council members said they loved the ice cream.

“I’m glad to hear that,” he said. “Because I live right down the street.”

Dear Hearts serves ice cream from Bliss Bros. Dairy, which is renown for a particularly rich, dense ice cream base upon which myriad flavor combinations are built.

Check out: Dear Hearts on Facebook.