The Ice Cream Shop in a 120-Year-Old Gas Station Is One of Yorkton's Most Beloved Summer Traditions
Nicole Roy bought Scoops with her parents in 2007 and has spent nearly two decades turning a historic Yorkton building — once a brick factory site, then a service station, then a fruit stand — into the city's most creative frozen treat destination. This summer marks 18 years.
August 6, 2026 · By Justin Plosz · Yorkton, Saskatchewan · Business · 5 min read read
A Building That Has Been Through Everything
The address at the corner where YDB Scoops now sits has been many things in Yorkton's history. More than 120 years ago it was connected to the city's brick manufacturing trade. At some point it became a service station — and the canopy that still shades the outdoor deck today is a direct reminder of that era, a structural holdover from when cars pulled in for fuel instead of soft-serve.
Between the gas station and the ice cream shop there was a fruit stand. Then Nicole Roy's parents saw something in the building and bought the ice cream business inside it in 2007, bringing Roy in as part of the purchase.
For years the property carried a quiet complication: abandoned underground petroleum tanks from the service station days sat beneath the ground, requiring environmental remediation. Shell worked directly with Roy and her team to resolve it, and in early 2025 the tanks were finally removed. The process went as well as it could have — the building remained structurally sound throughout.
"Shell has been very good to work with," Roy said. "They've been very responsive to any issues and problems we've had."
The remediation prompted Roy to do something she had always intended but kept postponing: install a history wall inside the shop, documenting the building's past for the customers who pass through it every summer. The wall went up in April 2025, giving visitors a way to understand exactly what they're standing in.
Box of Crayons, Sasquatch Cheesecake, and the Logic of Flavour
Roy has been making house ice cream for years, and the list of flavours at YDB Scoops reflects a philosophy that is equal parts precision and play. The current roster includes Box of Crayons, Sasquatch Cheesecake, Raspberry Cheesecake, Mint Chip, Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean, and Butter Beer — names that suggest someone who takes the ice cream seriously but doesn't take themselves too seriously.
The shop also runs limited-run experiments whenever the mood strikes. Past flavours have included Dill Pickle, Nerds, and Holy Cannoli. One customer made a special request for garlic.
"That was not a hit," Roy laughed. "Not with me at all in the slightest."
Not everything is a novelty. The shop's most consistently popular item is pistachio and almond — a classic that outsells the more eye-catching names most days. For customers who avoid dairy, Scoops carries sorbets and oat-based ice cream when supplies allow.
"We try to have something for everyone," Roy said.
The creative engine behind the flavours has a geographic source. Roy travels regularly in the off-season — supporting her son Stefan, a competitive ski cross athlete pursuing a spot on Canada's Junior National Team — and brings ideas back from wherever she goes. The shop's iced café au lait, now a warm-weather staple, was inspired by a drink she discovered in Portugal.
"I come up with ideas and Bruce figures out how we're going to make them here," she said.
Eighteen Years and Still One of Yorkton's Best Summer Reasons to Go Out
YDB Scoops opens in late March and runs through the end of September. Hours are 11am to 9pm daily, with the kitchen closing at 8pm. That six-month window is long enough to feel like a permanent fixture, short enough that every visit carries a slight urgency — the season does end, and when it does, items start to run out.
The off-season absence is part of what makes the return feel like something. Roy's team travels with the family while the shop is closed, and the mascot Baby Scoopy documents the adventures on social media — building a following that keeps Scoops in mind even in February.
Roy is matter-of-fact about what the shop has meant over eighteen years: "We love it. It's allowed us to support our family, and we're grateful for all the support we've received from the community."
That gratitude runs in both directions. Scoops has become the kind of business Yorkton organizes summer around — a place where the staff returns year after year, where the building's hundred-year history is now on the wall for anyone who wants to read it, and where the flavours get a little stranger every season. Eighteen years in, that combination still works.
Key takeaways
- YDB Scoops has been a Yorkton summer institution for 18 years, owned by Nicole Roy and her partner Bruce since they purchased it with Roy's parents in 2007.
- The shop operates from a 120-year-old building with layers of history — brick manufacturing, gas station, fruit stand — now documented on a history wall installed in April 2025.
- House-made flavours including Box of Crayons, Sasquatch Cheesecake, Butter Beer, and Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean sit alongside the shop's most popular item: pistachio and almond.
- Travel drives the creative process — the iced café au lait on the menu was inspired by a drink Roy discovered in Portugal; her partner Bruce handles execution when she returns with new ideas.
- The shop is open late March through September, 11am to 9pm daily, with a loyal team of staff who return year after year.
- Roy's son Stefan is a competitive ski cross athlete pursuing a spot on Canada's Junior National Team; the family travels in the off-season, with mascot Baby Scoopy documenting the adventures on social media.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is YDB Scoops in Yorkton?
- YDB Scoops is located in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The shop operates from a building more than 120 years old that originally connected to Yorkton's brick manufacturing industry and later served as a gas station and fruit stand. For the exact address and current hours, visit ydbscoops.com.
- Who owns YDB Scoops in Yorkton?
- YDB Scoops is owned by Nicole Roy and her partner Bruce. Roy originally purchased the business with her parents in 2007 and has operated it for 18 years.
- What flavours does YDB Scoops make in-house?
- YDB Scoops produces a rotating selection of house-made ice cream flavours including Box of Crayons, Sasquatch Cheesecake, Raspberry Cheesecake, Mint Chip, Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean, and Butter Beer. Limited-run experimental flavours have included Dill Pickle, Nerds, and Holy Cannoli. The most consistently popular flavour is pistachio and almond. Dairy-free options include sorbets and oat-based ice cream when available.
- When is YDB Scoops open?
- YDB Scoops is open seasonally from late March through the end of September. Hours are 11am to 9pm daily, with the kitchen closing at 8pm. Check ydbscoops.com for current-season updates and daily flavour listings.
- Does YDB Scoops have dairy-free options?
- Yes. YDB Scoops carries dairy-free options including sorbets and oat-based ice cream when supplier availability allows. Owner Nicole Roy describes the philosophy as trying to have something for everyone.
- Why is there a history wall at YDB Scoops?
- In April 2025, YDB Scoops installed a history wall documenting the 120-year story of the building it occupies. The site started as part of Yorkton's brick manufacturing industry, later became a gas station (the original canopy still shades the outdoor deck), and briefly served as a fruit stand before becoming an ice cream shop. The history wall was partly motivated by environmental remediation work to remove abandoned underground fuel tanks from the gas station era.
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