A Sweet Success Story: Pete Mitchell Shares the Journey Behind Mitchell’s Ice Cream

At our recent Rotary meeting, we had the privilege of welcoming Pete Mitchell, co-founder of Mitchell’s Ice Cream, along with a special guest—his father, Steve Mitchell, a 40-year Rotarian from New Jersey. Though Steve still resides in New Jersey, he was in town visiting and joined us for the day. Pete’s invitation to his father was a meaningful gesture that reflected the family roots behind one of Cleveland’s most beloved businesses.

Pete began his talk by sharing the now-famous origin story of Mitchell’s Ice Cream, a journey that began with a casual dinner in Seattle.

In the late 1990s, Pete was working in financial services in Seattle while his younger brother Mike was finishing his philosophy degree at Ohio State. During a visit, the brothers were out to dinner when the conversation turned to what kind of business they might start, purely hypothetical at the time. After dinner, they went looking for ice cream—and realized that despite Seattle’s size, there wasn’t a single standout, local ice cream shop they could recommend.

That passing observation turned into an idea they couldn’t shake. What started as a lighthearted comment evolved into a serious plan. Pete soon left his job, and Mike, just out of college, had never worked for an employer—Mitchell’s Ice Cream would be his first job.

With no prior experience in food service or small business, the brothers got to work. Mike took a short course at Penn State’s renowned Creamery, while Pete handled logistics. They studied ice cream-making through books and trial and error, eventually opening their first shop in Westlake on October 6, 1999.

The early days were quiet—sometimes just one customer per hour. But a feature in The Plain Dealer’s food section in early 2000 changed that, providing a boost in visibility that brought more foot traffic and new momentum.

Over 25 years, Mitchell’s has grown gradually and intentionally. Today, there are nine locations across Greater Cleveland, a central kitchen in Ohio City, and distribution to local grocery stores and restaurants. All ice cream is still made in small batches at their kitchen and delivered five days a week.

Pete emphasized that their goal has never been national expansion. Instead, Mitchell’s aims to be a positive presence in Cleveland’s neighborhoods—including their bustling Strongsville shop, one of their busiest locations.

They’ve closed only one shop in 25 years (at SouthPark Mall), a decision that reinforced their focus on easily accessible community-based locations. They continue to prioritize their employees’ quality of life, even closing early on July 4th so staff can enjoy the holiday.

Flavor creation is a collaborative effort—ideas come from staff, customers, and even Pete’s daughter. Recent collaborations include the Cuyahoga Valley Crunch, a custom flavor developed for the National Park’s 50th anniversary.

Top-selling flavors include chocolate, peanut butter cup, cookies and cream, caramel fudge brownie, and vanilla. While not every flavor can fit in the freezer case, Pete confessed that he still misses Rocky Road, which had to be retired due to limited space.

Pete closed his remarks by thanking the Strongsville community and acknowledging the many dedicated team members who help Mitchell’s thrive. His visit reminded us how a single idea, grounded in family, hard work, and community values, can grow into something truly special.

We’re grateful to have heard Pete’s story—and to have welcomed his father, Steve Mitchell, into our club for the day.