HOLLAND, Mich. — HOLLAND, Mich. -- It's become a summertime tradition for many in West Michigan - a stop at Captain Sundae for ice cream.
Captain Sundae has been open on Douglas Street in Holland serving up sundaes for nearly four decades.
The nautical theme came with the original Captain, Lee Mannes when he opened the store in 1980. In 2000, he sold Captain Sundae to a former employee, Karen Van Dam. She has since expanded with two new storefronts - 40th Street in South Holland, and Main Street in Zeeland.
"I think we really focus on environment and good quality product to make sure that the experience is not just coming from an ice cream cone but everything from the environment to the product to the service," says owner Karen Van Dam.
The menu is nearly overwhelming - there are nearly 50 combinations of sundaes!
The most famous sundae is the Tommy Turtle, whose combination of unique flavors has sparked national attention.
"The first one we had was the Today show. They did a segment all through West Michigan so they stopped, did a little segment. They had a tommy turtle here that they featured on the today show," says Van Dam. "That same summer, President Bush came in September so that was a big year."
The Douglas location launched Pirates Cove this summer, a mini golf course next to the ice cream shop.
To check out the vast menu and more information about each location, head to the Captain Sundae website by clicking here.
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