(402) Creamery Churns Up Homemade Creations in the Haymarket

Cookies, cake, and cream cheese right in your ice cream -- quit counting calories, it's worth it. 

BY MADELINE CHRISTENSEN

Tyler Mannix was working at a banking solutions company in Lincoln when he received an ice cream maker for his birthday in 2016.

By September 2017, he’d opened (402) Creamery, the completely-made-from-scratch ice cream shop on 8th street in the Haymarket. 

“I've always loved ice cream and it's always been something that no matter how full I was, I always had room for it,” Mannix said. “I was just looking for something that I could do that I would be passionate about and could make a living doing. I said I was either going to love it or hate it, and I fell in love with the process. Next thing you know, I own an ice cream shop.” 

(402) Creamery has made a name for itself in Lincoln with its product that is completely made in the shop, from the actual dairy ice cream to every single mix-in -- which can vary from holiday pies to snickerdoodles to pound cake. Mannix also makes a point to be involved with the community by collaborating with local bakeries and businesses for specialty flavors. 

The menu is experimental as far as ice cream shops go. Choose between the year-round signature flavors like the popular Monster Cookie or the more classic Sweet Vanilla or Dark Chocolate, or try the rotating seasonal menu, with flavors like “Muffin Compares to This” (brown sugar ice cream, blueberry muffin pieces, and toasted oat streusel) or Mannix’s favorite, “Malty Python” (malted vanilla ice cream, brownies, caramel and chocolate swirls.) 

“Sometimes it's other people I talk to who come up with good ideas,” Mannix said. “Or sometimes I play off of flavors I've liked from other ice cream shops.”

Either way, every seasonal flavor always gets a punny name. 

Creating each batch of ice cream is a two to three day process depending on how busy the shop is. Making ice cream from scratch means there needs to be time to let the base cool overnight and another day to churn before it’s ready to serve. 

For Mannix, the best part of his ice cream venture has been seeing the business grow in a short period of time, and seeing people try new flavors for the first time. 

“To be able to have other people enjoy the ice cream as much as I do, that's what's awesome about it,” he said. 

And the secret to great ice cream?

“It’s attention to detail and quality products, and a passion for it,” Mannix said. “You try to make it the best you can and make everyone who comes in happy. I love what I do.”