VIENNA — Main Street Creamery opened its doors Sept. 5, allowing attendees of the Maries County Fair parade to eat ice cream in the 99-degree heat.

Andrea Birdsong, co-owner, said that the shop saw good turnout Saturday and Sunday during its opening weekend.

“It was a little hectic, but we anticipated that,” she said.

The shop currently sells hand-dipped ice cream from Central Dairy in Jefferson City, soft serve, floats and shakes. It plans to soon sell concretes and banana splits.

For about 10 years, Tyler and Andrea Birdsong had wanted to start an ice cream shop, and Andrea Birdsong dreamed of it as a child.

But as a contractor and nurse respectively, turning the idea into reality took time. The Birdsongs started planning the shop in April, hoping to open in June. However, some construction surprises on the old building delayed the opening until Labor Day weekend.

Now that the shop is open, Andrea Birdsong said that she feels blessed, recognizing the hard work she and her husband did.

“Every town needs an ice cream shop,” she said.

Connie Elrod, Tyler Birdsong’s aunt, is glad that Main Street Creamery is open and said that there hasn’t been an ice cream shop in Vienna in about 15 years.

Lisa Jones, president of the Historical Society of Maries County, said that the shop was Vienna Drive In, owned by Gary Stratman. Andrea Birdsong also mentioned Dairy Park, which was on Highway 63, about two miles south of the city.

For Debbie Honse, she had never been inside the building before. She said that the shop was beautiful and believes that it will be good for Vienna because people love ice cream and shopping for antiques at the other stores in town.

“I think everything that Vienna can bring in to bring in people, it’s a wonderful thing,” she said.

Andrea Birdsong said they plan to add outdoor seating by next spring, and she desires that shop becomes a “hot spot” for Vienna and the surrounding areas.

Main Street Creamery, at 100 S. Main St., Vienna, is open from 3:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.