“The Old-Fashioned Way”: The Tony’s Ice Cream Story

Opens March 8

For more than 100 years, Tony’s Ice Cream has been a staple in Gaston County, their distinctive yellow brick building on East Franklin Boulevard in Gastonia serving as a landmark and touchstone for generations of Gaston County families. But the story behind this iconic brand, which unfolds in “The Old-Fashioned Way”: The Tony’s Ice Cream Story, is also about family, immigration, and the success that was built on ingenuity, resolve, and the hard work of four generations.

The exhibit, which opens March 8 and runs through July 2026, tells the story of how immigrants to Gaston County from Italy and Scotland - the Coletta and Jannetta families - built a new life and grew a flourishing business in a rapidly changing and expanding North Carolina county. “Everyone has a favorite memory of Tony’s,” says Museum director Alexandrea Pizza “And behind every one of those memories is a family that worked hard to create the American success story.” In the exhibit, visitors will experience a documentary about the family’s lineage and move to America, discover the importance of the deceivingly simple ice cream scoop, enjoy a variety of interactive features for adults and children alike, and discover which ice cream flavor is, in fact, the most popular!