Portales’ Own Ice Cream Gem

Ice cream is a staple in places that have hot summers like we do. It’s more than a craving. It’s almost a necessity on a day when the concrete is so hot it could fry an egg!

Sure, there are plenty of places that serve up ice cream, but how many serve natural, homemade ice cream with unique ingredients and flavor combinations?

Portales is lucky enough to have a little gem that serves just that!

At Sweetwaters at Landall’s, ice cream is a big deal.

Landall Goolsby, the owner and operator, has always had a soft spot for Portales and the people who call it home. One of his earliest memories of Portales is going with his grandmother to Thrifty Drug Store and getting ice cream. It’s a memory he holds dear to his heart, so he jumped at the opportunity to provide memories at his own store that include delicious, creamy ice cream made in Portales.

Sweetwaters at Landall’s was opened in October of 2016 as an addition to his already popular video store, Landall’s Box Office. With big dreams, he and his mother, Peggy, opened the doors to a coffee shop, and have found joy in serving the community with the most flavorful ice cream they can produce.

“We wanted to make something that could go hand in hand. Food and entertainment.

I am a big fan of nerd culture and pop culture. With all of the success of superhero movies and shows like Game of Thrones, nerd culture became Pop Culture.

When we set out to build the coffee shop we wanted to make it different than anything else that was currently in Portales. I have a lot of heroes up on the walls. And heroes give us hope.

One of our business principals is: We don’t have heroes posted everywhere because we consider ourselves heroes. They are there to represent how important it can be to help others and to always have hope.”

– Landall Goolsby (Owner, Sweetwaters at Landall’s)

Their mantra is based on reminding people to be themselves, unapologetically, and to enjoy life, maybe even with some ice cream in hand!

When you take a glance in their ice cream freezer, you’ll find flavors like Lemon Cookie, Tea with the Queen, Banana Pudding, Cookie Monster, and many more.

Their flavors change daily and often feature combinations that are unique like Lemongrass Coconut or Honey Lavender. And they use ingredients like red beet juice to color their ice cream to keep it natural.

With more than 60 ice cream recipes, Sweetwaters is prepared to tempt your tastebuds with every visit.

Their in-house flavor Tea with the Queen is one of the ice creams Landall is most proud of. It’s flavor is based on the popular drink called London Fog. He said it required more effort than others because Earl Gray Tea doesn’t come in a concentrated form. As a little surprise in the London Fog flavored ice cream, you’ll find sweet shortbread cookie bits.

You may also find the flavor Sage Salted Caramel among their choices. The amount of sage used to create this yummy combination has to be precise. If not, Landall said, “it tastes awful and will not freeze into ice cream.” Lucky for us, Sweetwaters has mastered the art of this flavor, and it is deliciously waiting for your order!

They offer samplings when you stop in, so you can try the flavors available, and choose the one you like best for a cone or bowl. Once you’re digging into a generous serving of German Chocolate Cake Ice Cream, you’ll be happy to return even if the line is stretched out the door!

With 3 titles as Best of Portales, we aren’t the only ones who have noticed this little gem.

Their service is friendly, and their ice cream is delicious! They offer ice cream products too, like the viral, and wildly popular ice cream-filled donut (called a Nerd Herder), as well as floats and frappes! So be sure to stop in and try some of their homemade ice cream!

If you’re in the mood for something besides ice cream, their menu includes sandwiches, Dole Whip (another customer favorite), floats, bagels, coffee and frappes, popcorn, nachos, and more! They have something for everyone in the family!