ADA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A popular downtown ice cream shop is expanding to Ada with the opening of Love's second location this weekend.
Love's founder and CEO Chris McKellar launched the original shop in downtown Grand Rapids in 2013 with a simple goal: making ice cream from scratch using ingredients he could trust and trace. Now, partnering with longtime friend Jake Stacy, McKellar is bringing that same philosophy to Ada.
"We were able to take this old barn and revitalize it into something fresh and new, and we're in a great proximity to restaurants and the Covered Bridge," McKellar said.
The Ada location sits on the fringe of historic Ada, housed in a renovated barn that maintains its character while being modernized for safe ice cream production. McKellar said the team started looking at the location in late 2025, signed the lease in early January, and spent several months on the build-out.
"We tried to preserve some of the character that's been in this building for a lot of years, and modernize it just a touch to help us serve our craft made ice cream safely," McKellar said.
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The shop's appeal goes beyond location. McKellar emphasized Love's commitment to quality ingredients and transparency.
"I wanted to make ice cream from scratch with ingredients that I knew where they came from and what they were," McKellar said. The ice cream is made on-site using predominantly certified organic ingredients and grass-fed dairy.
McKellar highlighted several signature flavors, calling cookies and cream his nostalgic favorite from childhood. The almond toffee crunch draws inspiration from his mother's recipe. McKellar says their lavender blueberry, which is dairy-free, earns praise for its unique purple color and refreshing taste. His "sleeper" favorite is strawberry — "just strawberries pureed into a sweet cream base with a little vanilla."
"Some people sleep on it, but man, oh man, is that a really good flavor. Just bursting with fresh strawberry flavor," McKellar said.
The renovated barn includes an upstairs seating area designed as a cozy hideaway for customers to gather with friends.
Love's Ada will hold its opening night on Saturday, May 16, from noon to 10 p.m. McKellar promised "a lot of people and really fun, fun environment with light hearted staff and delicious made from scratch treats."
"I think ice cream is a necessity," McKellar said. "We are very intentional with making a product that you can feel good about eating yourself and feeding to your children."
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