The Scoop on Scoops: New Owners Serve Up Fresh Start with Sprinkle of Nostalgia

For two Wilton women who barely knew each other outside of volunteer work, becoming co-owners of Scoops felt almost inevitable.

As the newest owners of the beloved ice cream and confections shop (92 Old Ridgefield Rd.), Megan Saverine and Kathy Shouvlin have plans to re-open for business on Jun. 17 — but the news is about far more than the re-launch.

The two Wilton women — with no real relationship outside of their Minks to Sinks volunteer work — became business partners and self-described “stewards” of the beloved shop that has been a mainstay in Wilton Center for more than four decades. Their journey to realize their shared dream revealed layer upon layer of community connections that only a town as special as Wilton could foster.

The duo announced their news on May 28.

“The torch has been officially passed,” they wrote in a social media post. “As two longtime Wilton families who have loved this sweet spot since 1982, we feel this is a true full-circle moment.”

Before looking ahead, their first order of business was to express their gratitude to outgoing owner Laura Wheatley.

“We are endlessly grateful for her stewardship and the immense trust she has placed in our families to carry this beloved town staple forward,” they wrote.

Wheatley owned Scoops since 2023, when she purchased it from Meghan Wall, the previous owner of 14 years. It was Saverine’s connection to Wall that put her on the path to Scoops ownership.

A Full Circle Moment

For Saverine, Scoops has been woven into her life for decades.

“Meghan Wall and Kevin Wall babysat me [when] I was a baby,” Saverine told GMW in a recent conversation about the business. “And I babysat all of their children.”

Though Saverine moved away for a time, when she and her husband Jon Ledbetter decided to leave Brooklyn and raise their family in Wilton, it was Wall, a realtor, who helped them find their house and invited the young family to an ice cream social at Scoops.

That visit rekindled a dream.

Scoops had been a favorite and memorable part of Saverine’s childhood, but she said the ice cream social she attended as an adult sparked her wish to someday own the business herself. When it recently came up for sale, Saverine thought the timing might finally be right — and Wall encouraged her to “go for it.”

“She’s been such a source of inspiration,” Saverine said, “just wrapping her arms around us and this whole community.”

“It really was a full circle moment — me coming back to my town that I love, having that conversation with Meghan, and then it actually happening,” she said.

Saverine also noted one more detail she said felt like “a sign.” She and Ledbetter were married in Wilton’s Old Town Hall on Jan. 25 — the same date Scoops first opened its doors.

More Layers of Connection

If Saverine’s connection to Scoops developed over time, Shouvlin’s interest was immediate.

Her dream of owning Scoops was hardly a secret to those who know her — it’s something she said she talked about almost from the day she moved to Wilton.

“Scoops was just something that I thought I can do,” she said. “I can understand that business.”

Shouvlin worked her way through restaurants and food service jobs during high school and college, and she discovered that she loved the service business — especially local ones, which she called “the fabric of your life.”

“I love being with people, I love interacting with people,” she said. “And I am probably to a fault a local shopper. I really believe in a small town.”

Shouvlin met Saverine when they both volunteered for the Minks To Sinks consignment sale and by chance ended up on the same furniture team. While they were friendly, they weren’t part of the same social circles outside of Minks sale.

Shouvlin chuckled about their age difference saying, “We’re really different demographics,” but when the topic of Scoops came up during a furniture team lunch this past spring, they discovered their mutual interest.

Saverine was looking for a partner, and Shouvlin wanted in.

Within weeks, the partnership had formed.

Shouvlin recalled asking her husband if she was being too impulsive. “‘You have been thinking about owning Scoops for the last 20 years — this is the most well-thought-out impulsive decision you have ever [made],'” she said he told her.

Not Owners, But Stewards

Both women agree that “ownership” of Scoops has a distinct meaning.

“I feel like Wilton owns Scoops,” Shouvlin said. “Scoops has been in Wilton for 45 years, and it has been such an integral part of so many people’s lives, and the town history, and the feeling of what living in a small town is.”

Rather than owners, both describe themselves as caretakers of a business that belongs to the community.

“We’re less the owners than we are the stewards,” Shouvlin said. “We’re caretakers of something special that belongs to Wilton.”

Saverine agreed.

“We truly hope that when people walk through the doors, it’s as if they’re walking home. We look forward to the days where kids are taking the bus here after school, or walking from Merwin Meadows — like I did as a child — to come get ice cream and candy.”

What’s New for Scoops

Ahead of reopening, the new owners have just finished a complete “refresh” inside and out, including new appliances, fresh paint, window boxes and more — right down to a new shine on the shop’s classic checkered floors.

Among the biggest changes is a new partnership with Stamford-based small-batch producer Longford’s Ice Cream as Scoops’ new ice cream supplier. The menu will include 16 flavors — including versions of the popular “Mud” and “Swamp” flavors that longtime customers have missed.

The co-owners say the June 17 reopening is “just the beginning of our exciting journey.” They are bringing Scoops’ merchandise production back to local vendors, working with Purple Frog Graphics for sweatshirts, t-shirts and other items. They’re also prioritizing community events (such as upcoming Wilton parades and National Ice Cream Day) and local collaborations with Wilton Library and Wild Child, the toy store next door.

Shouvlin will oversee operations and work in the store, while Saverine will focus on social media and community partnerships. Ledbetter, who has already dubbed himself “Mr. Scoops,” will also be working in the store.

Looking Ahead

Both Saverine and Shouvlin emphasize that following in Wheatley’s footsteps and “carrying the torch” means “keeping traditions alive and scooping up new memories for the town we all love.”

“[Wheatley] was really committed to Scoops being what it’s always been for the town,” Shouvlin said. “We have a shared vision, and I think that makes the transition easier.”

Wheatley said the transition feels like the right one, and she’s excited to see what’s next for Scoops.

“It was extremely heartwarming to see how much the Wilton families enjoy Scoops and find it to be a place they can come to meet friends,” she told GMW.  “I am thrilled that it continues to have Wilton owners because I feel like that makes a big difference [in] how the store is run.”

She hopes residents will continue supporting Scoops.

“Small businesses can only be there if the town uses them,” Wheatley said.  

As reopening day approaches, Shouvlin said she believes the formula for Scoops’ success is clear.

“It needs incredible, super-premium, locally made ice cream, and it needs confections that are a delight to the eyes and to the taste buds, and it needs just a high level of friendly service,” she said. “If we can give it all of that … it will be embraced by the town and be exactly what it’s supposed to be — a place where people can make memories.”

[Editor’s note: this story has been updated to correct an error in the spelling of Saverine’s name.]