Newty’s, a small ice cream shop on the Rockland waterfront, only opened on July 31, but owners Sally Levi and Dominic Turgeon already have regular customers.
The ice cream and coffee shop is located in Levi and Turgeon’s backyard, accessed through a gate from Sandy Beach Park. An old red truck and garden form a boundary between the shop’s lawn and the backyard, where Turgeon’s father sits in a camp chair enjoying the balmy weather with his dog, Chloe.
But getting Newty’s off the ground wasn’t easy. Months of back-and-forth with the Rockland Planning Board and some backlash from neighbors resulted in the opening date being pushed back. Neighbors spoke at several city council meetings and were concerned that Newty’s would bring more noise and traffic to the area. Some didn’t want commercial activity in their neighborhood.
However, since the store opened, none of this has been a problem, Levi said. Some neighbors who were initially against the store have even apologized to Levi.
Business has been great, Levi and Turgeon said. Friends and family of the couple stop by to chat and get ice cream, which comes from Round Top in Damariscotta, and the kids take turns eating their sundaes and playing “cone hole” (cornhole, where an ice cream cone is drawn on the board).
Traffic is fine as most people pass by on foot or by bike while they are in the park. Levi uses residential lighting and closes at 9pm
“Nobody leaves here angry,” Turgeon said.
In fact, it was the neighborhood kids who inspired Levi and Turgeon to open the store. One time, while we were sitting in the backyard of the house under construction, Turgeon said, a kid came to the fence and asked for snacks.
Unfortunately, there were no snacks, but the child had the idea for the commercial hut in the backyard of the house.
“It dawned on me, and I thought, ‘Yeah, let’s do something like this, for the park and the community,'” Turgeon said.
Levi said the location is a dream come true for her. She has always wanted to open a cafe, and the shop, which is only a short walk away, brings people together, including her family. Turgeon’s mother works at the shop from opening to closing, and sometimes the couple’s nieces and nephews help out.
“It’s very old-fashioned and in some ways outdated, but it’s exactly what’s needed,” Levi said.
Terry Pinto, director of the Rockland Pollution Control Department, agreed that a community-driven space is needed in the park. He has become friends with Levi and Turgeon since the store opened, walking by and getting an ice cream while spending time in the park he helped create.
“A city should never have to worry about tourists,” Pinto said. “If you make it nice for the people who live there, everything else will happen automatically.”
