A Sweet Tradition Returns, Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream Opens for 2026 Season

ONEONTA – With the return of warmer weather, a longtime Oneonta favorite is once again welcoming customers. Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream & More, a local institution that traces its roots back to 1949, opened its 2026 season with a weekend celebration March 27–29, continuing a tradition that has spanned generations. 

The season kicked off with the shop’s popular “Ice Cream & Pancake Breakfast with the Bear” on Sat., March 28 and Sun., March 29, an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet that brought families together after a long winter. For $12 for adults and $6 for children, guests enjoyed pancakes, sausage, beverages and Polar Bear’s signature homemade ice cream. 

Heather Ross, owner of the family-run shop, said she looks forward each year to reopening and reconnecting with the community. Like many ice cream stands in the region, Polar Bear closes over the winter months. The shop’s longevity, she said, is rooted in its commitment to tradition and quality. 

The business began in downtown Oneonta in 1949 under the ownership of Richard Deighton. It later changed hands to Ned and Gail Murtha, who built a strong following by emphasizing the quality of their soft ice cream, which they promoted as superior to most commercially sold products. 

That legacy continued decades later when Ross and her late husband, Michael Ross, rebuilt Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream, a project that took about 36 months and culminated in reopening the stand in 2018 on the Ross family’s farm in south Oneonta. Since becoming the shop’s eight owner, Heather Ross has worked to preserve the Polar Bear’s history while carrying it into a new era. 

“It’s just a beloved history of the place. We have the original recipe book, and we do traditional recipes from that book,” said Ross. 

For many customers, Polar Bear’s ice cream and hot foods are more than a seasonal treat. Jeff Barlow, a longtime patron, attended the pancake breakfast on March 29 with his family and reflected on how the business has grown over the years. 

“Oh, God. When they first got here, it started out with a few people coming, and all of a sudden, it just started getting swapped,” Barlow said in reference to the location at 5212 NY-28, which is about a 12-minute drive from Oneonta’s Main Stret. “And it's been like that every year.” 

Laughter and conversation filled the room as families gathered at tables throughout the morning. Polar Bear is the type of place where customers become like family. Barlow’s easy rapport with Ross was evident, a familiarity shaped by years of shared experiences at the shop. 

Barlow said one of the things he values most about Polar Bear is its people and atmosphere. 

“I have been friends with them forever. And the service around here is awesome. When people come here, they’re happy.” 

Beyond ice cream, Polar Bear has built a reputation for giving back to the community. The business regularly hosts pancake breakfasts, school field trips and charitable events, including poker runs that support individuals and local causes. 

Unsure of what a “poker run” was, Barlow explained its purpose to this reporter. 

“It’s a benefit run. People with motorcycles will all have a benefit. Either a certain child, or if something happened to somebody, like, a business. They raise money to help.” He continued: “They’ll have a set tour, like a route picked out, and you stop at all these other places. And they have to pay a certain amount to get into it, like, 20 bucks.” 

Ross said the sense of mutual support between the business and the community is something she values deeply. 

“I feel really fortunate because of this place, the brand, the community. We’ve rallied around the community,” she explained. “And then when my husband was sick in the hospitals, the community rallied around us. They showed support.” 

As the 2026 season gets underway, staff at Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream & More said they view customers as extended family — a philosophy that has helped sustain the business in different iterations for more than seven decades. With its doors open once again, the shop looks forward to welcoming both familiar faces and new visitors in the months ahead. 

This story was created by student reporters through the OnNY Community Media Lab, a program of SUNY Oneonta and the SUNY Institute for Local News. 

Owner Heather Ross, 56, pictured in front of Polar Bear inside store. Photo by Estephanie Gomez.  

Jeff Barlow and family pictured at Pancake Breakfast event. Photo by Estephanie Gomez. 

Timeline of Polar Bear History in store. Photo by Estephanie Gomez. 

Closer picture of Polar Bear Owner Timeline in store. Photo byf Estephanie Gomez. 

Menu inside Polar Bear Homemade Ice Cream & More. Photo by Estephanie Gomez. 

Micheal R. Ross Memorial Scholarship and businesses story pictured in store. Photo by Estephanie Gomez.