‘Ice Cream King’ plans new menu options at iconic North Myrtle Beach ice cream shop
A North Myrtle Beach ice cream staple has undergone a change in ownership and will have a few surprises for its seasonal reopening in March.
It’s hard to miss the Original Painters Homemade Ice Cream on 2408 Highway 17 North. With it’s iconic red roof and flag-colored seating outside, the shop has hardly changed since it was built in the 1950s.
Original Painters Ice Cream shop has been visited by plenty of celebrities over the years — most notably Conway native and Wheel of Fortune host Vanna White.
Dominic Munafo, dubbed “The Ice Cream King” by friends, clients and White herself, took over ownership from his father James Mantzanas at the start of the new year and plans on bringing some changes for the shop’s reopening on March 1.
There will be new options for dessert, including soft-serve, dairy-free and vegan friendly ice cream. Slushies are a possibility as well, Munafo said.
“The ice cream King’s sole purpose is to make sure nobody leaves my establishment unhappy,” Munafo said.
Along with new treat options, Munafo said he wants to fix the electric sign outside and add channel lettering in order to let people know the right location.
There is another ice cream shop in the area that bears a similar name, but is completely independent from Munafo’s business.
That business, called Painter’s Homemade Ice Cream, is located in Murrells Inlet.
Munafo wants to carry on a family legacy.
After 24 years of working under his father, Munafo said he plans to carry on a legacy with his new ownership of Original Painters Homemade Ice Cream.
“My dad was a hard working man, he cared very much about his clientele, loved every minute of what he did and made sure the clients always came first and he took great pride in the quality and service,” he said.
The walls of Original Painters Homemade Ice Cream are not only covered in photographs of celebrities who have visited the store, but are also covered in various awards the store has gotten for ice cream.
Original Painters Homemade Ice Cream has been featured in Southern Living magazine, People magazine for best ice cream, and even TV game show “Wheel of Fortune.”
This story was originally published January 25, 2023 at 6:00 AM.