Churned With Love: Schoolhouse Creamery

(This article was written by Remi Gibbs and appeared in the August 2024 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine .) What better time to visit an ice cream shop than in the middle of the sweltering hot South Texas summer? This ice cream shop makes everything from scratch in small batches with only the finest ingredients. Its name: Schoolhouse Creamery. The owner of Schoolhouse, Claudia Martinez, ships milk in from San Antonio from Oak Farms because it’s the creamiest she could find. She uses premium Ghirardelli chocolate and La Vencedora pure vanilla imported from Mexico in her ice cream recipes. She searches out the biggest and freshest bananas for her banana splits, which sometimes means scouring several local grocery stores to find the best. Her cakes, brownies, cheesecakes, and ice cream cones are baked from scratch. She cooks down juicy strawberries and pineapples to make the freshest sauces. From the first bite of ice cream or baked goods, you know the products are made with love and passion. Claudia Martinez runs Schoolhouse Creamery with her daughters Valerie and Kayla by her side. Her brother-in-law Robert Floyd originally opened the ice cream shop in 2015. She worked alongside him to learn about the business, how to order products, make ice cream, and run the store. In March 2017, Claudia officially took over. This opportunity was a dream come true for her. Initially, she was terrified, but she quickly realized she had already been doing the work. Claudia was able to expand Schoolhouse Creamery into two locations; however, the pandemic hit hard, as it did many other restaurants and businesses. She had to close the original location on Sunshine Strip in 2023 but still plans to celebrate its 10th anniversary in March 2025. The second location at Stuart Place is doing great, and she is thankful for all her regulars. Schoolhouse Creamery offers 9 classic flavors, 12 rotating flavors, and 2 Teachers Lounge (booze-infused) flavors of ice cream daily. They always have 1-2 sugar-free options as well. They offer a soft-serve yogurt and a vegan/dairy-free soft serve. Claudia says that Caliche Road —a play on Rocky Road made with Abuelita’s, is the most popular flavor. Her new favorite is the Pistachio because it’s flavorful, smooth, and creamy. Prepacked quarts and hand-packed pints are available to take home. Custom-order ice cream cakes are available with one week’s notice. Schoolhouse even offers ice cream catering! Consider booking them for your wedding or birthday party. Schoolhouse Creamery is located at 101 N. Stuart Place, Suite B in Harlingen. You can place your orders at 956-230-3095. Check out updates on Facebook @SchoolhouseCreamery. If you check in on Facebook, you receive a 10 percent discount. Originally from Mexico, Claudia moved to the United States in 1990. She is passionate about learning, so she strived and succeeded in learning English and getting her GED in the United States. She’s constantly learning about recipes and new ways to develop products. She hopes to start taking college classes soon to further her education. She feels she is living “the American Dream.” She appreciates the opportunities she has been given and encourages others to better themselves every day and never give up on themselves.