Business Spotlight: Chris’s Ice Cream
After building a loyal following across Ottawa since 2019, Chris’s Ice Cream has officially rolled into the Heart of Orléans with the opening of its new trailer location at 3003 St. Joseph Blvd.
Owned and operated by Chris Levesque, the business has become known for its small-batch, made-from-scratch ice cream, nostalgic flavours, and ability to turn almost any customer idea into a reality.
What started with a homemade watermelon sorbet for a charity dinner fundraiser eventually became a full-fledged business built on creativity, community, and a simple goal: making people happy.
Ice Cream With Personality
At Chris’s Ice Cream, every batch is made fresh from scratch, often using local ingredients and collaborations with nearby producers. Chris specializes in nostalgic and hard-to-find flavours that bring people back to childhood memories they thought were long gone.
Need a custom flavour for a gift or event? Chris can often make it happen within days.
But the real magic is in the reactions.
Some customers stop by after celebrating a milestone. Others come in after a rough day needing a reset. Chris sees ice cream as more than dessert: it’s comfort, celebration, nostalgia, and connection all wrapped into one scoop.
As he says, “I make bad days good and good days better.”
#WhyNotOrléans
For Chris, bringing the trailer to Orléans felt like the right next step because of the people.
The Heart of Orléans immediately stood out as a lively, connected community filled with local businesses that genuinely support one another. He saw a neighbourhood full of energy, collaboration, and residents who actively show up for small businesses.
That sense of connection made the decision easy.
Chris believes this part of Orléans deserves more attention and appreciation, not just for the businesses themselves, but for the people behind them. From fellow business owners to loyal customers, he describes the community as one that constantly looks out for each other and wants to help local businesses succeed.
For a business built around bringing joy to people, Orléans was a natural fit.
A Few Sweet Facts
- Business: Chris’s Ice Cream
- Owner: Chris Levesque
- Established: 2019
- Heart of Orléans Location: 3003 St. Joseph Blvd.
- Email: [email protected]
- What they offer: Fresh small-batch ice cream, custom flavours, take-home pints, and on-site service for events and groups.
Outside the business, Chris spends his limited summer downtime gardening and growing food, including a proudly successful crop of 15 corn stalks. Not bad for someone whose busiest season also happens to be peak gardening season.
Photo credit: Michael Willems Photo