When Newtown resident Alyce Kallman decided to make a career change after more than two decades operating her own hair salons, she made the jump from good looks to great tastes, opening Cream & Sugar Café on PT Barnum Green in downtown Bethel.

The bright and cozy shop combines the best elements of both a coffee shop and ice cream parlour, providing quick pick-me-ups to go, or a location to connect to Wi-Fi and enjoy one of her many personalized beverages or treats.

The shop is open seven days a week from 10 am to 10 pm, and if you're trying to call in and don't get an answer, it's not because they are closed - Ms Kallman and her staff are just busy helping customers at their busy counter.

"Neither I nor any of my staff will walk away from a person they are serving at our counter to take a phone call," she said. "But we do check and respond to messages as soon as we get a lull."

Besides a wide variety of ice creams and all the wonderful dessert combinations that can be created with the syrups, mix-ins and toppings on hand, Cream & Sugar Café also offers crepes, waffles and the coolest variety of hot or cold drinks you can imagine.

"We really wanted a coffee shop that serves crepes, but when we bought this location, they offered more ice cream," she said. "We offer Redding Roasters coffee, from right around the corner, and our signature 'snowies' for anyone with dairy issues or allergies, made with shaved ice. I also make an iced coffee with espresso over shaved ice that people love."

In fact, Ms Kallman is expert at mixing many beverages over shaved ice - from Arnold Palmer to watermelon ice tea. Big Dipper of Prospect creates chocolate lace custom-made ice creams for the shop, along with other products from Gifford's of Maine and certified nut-free varieties from Jane's of New York - which is sequestered into a separate freezer and is served with sterilized scoopers.

In all, Cream & Sugar Café serves up around 40 varieties of ice cream on any given day, she said. And the shop offers almond, coconut and soy milk, lactose-free milk, as well as a nut/soy/dairy free option in addition to The Farmer's Cow products.

Need to grab and go? Hot coffee is always brewed and ready as well. And the shop is looking forward to becoming an even more popular gathering spot on PT Barnum Green with the addition of occasional live music coming soon.

Visit the store's page on Facebook for daily messages about new treats and special promotions, call 203- 628-7349 or visit the store for a hot or chilly pick-me-up.

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