Always Ice Creams plans fall opening for first Montgomery County location
The Annapolis-based company boasts more than 250 rotating flavors
By
Elia GriffinJuly 7, 2026 10:30 a.m. | Updated: July 7, 2026 10:39 a.m.
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Always Ice Cream, an Annapolis-based ice cream chain known for creative flavors sometimes made with whole pies and cakes, is slated to open a new shop in Pike & Rose in North Bethesda this fall, co-owner Mark Cohen told Bethesda Today in late June.
Cohen runs Always Ice Cream with his brother Adam. The two grew up in Anne Arundel County and launched their business with the Annapolis Ice Cream company shop in 2020. Since then, the company has grown to eight brick-and-mortar shops–all in Maryland–plus an ice cream truck.
The Pike & Rose location at 11802 Rockville Pike will be the chain’s ninth. Its eight other shops are located in Annapolis, Baltimore, Crofton, Edgewater, Pasadena, Prince Frederick and Severna Park.
Having grown up in Maryland and with family in Rockville and Potomac, Cohen said he and his brother were very familiar with the county.
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“It was always on our list and always one of our dreams to be up in Montgomery County,” Cohen said. “So, we’re excited to be there.”
Always Ice Cream offers traditional scoops, soft serve, ice cream cakes, milkshakes, malts, floats and sundaes, according to its website. The company manufactures more than 250 flavors of ultra-premium ice cream in Edgewater, Maryland, that are served at its shops and wholesale. According to Cohen, pints and batches of Always Ice Cream are sold at more than 300 retailers in 15 states.
Popular flavors include peanut butter Oreo, chocolate brown batter, cookie monster, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Key Lime Pie and Strawberry Cheesecake, Cohen said. A selection of vegan and dairy-free flavors are also available.
According to Cohen, some of the flavors are created in collaboration with local companies such as the Smith Island Baking Company. Smith Island Cake, which consists of eight to ten layers of yellow cake with chocolate fudge frosting, is the Maryland state cake.
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Other ice cream flavors contain whole pies, cake slices and cookies that are mixed into an ice cream base. According to Cohen, some of the newest flavors are banana split and lava cake.
The Pike & Rose shop will also feature a custom soft serve ice cream that will dish out the classic vanilla, chocolate and strawberry flavors, plus two rotating flavors per month. In addition, diners can expect other frozen treats such as ice cream sandwiches made with Belgian waffles, brownies and cookies.
Cohen said patrons will be able to try Always Ice Cream’s signature autumn flavors when the shop opens. Those fall ice cream flavors include pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, pumpkin chocolate chip, pumpkin cheesecake and lemon ginger snap, he said.
Before the opening, patrons can also get a taste of Always Ice Cream at Pike & Rose’s annual PIKEtoberfest in October. According to Cohen, the company plans to take its ice cream truck to the fall festival.
Cohen said he is looking forward to collaborating with local schools and businesses on limited-time flavors and fundraising nights when the Pike & Rose shop opens.
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“One of the things we always say is like community first and ice cream second,” Cohen said. “We’re excited to open up there and really excited to find ways to be part of the community and give back to the community.”
The 1,200-square-foot shop will be in a one-story commercial building in Pike & Rose, home to eateries including Chipotle and Falafel Inc.
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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine