New specialty chocolate and ice cream shop opens in North Liberty

NORTH LIBERTY, Ind.— A new specialty chocolate and ice cream shop has opened on Main Street.

Mercedeze Rain Ice Cream and Chocolates celebrated its grand opening on June 11 and owner Patricia Schleg said the shop almost sold out during its launch weekend.

“There have been shades and curtains on the store windows, so it was exciting to take them down and have people come in and see what we’ve been up to,” Schleg said. “It was fantastic. I had great support from the whole town.”

Schleg has been making chocolate truffles for over 30 years but just last year, she made the decision to learn how to make ice cream. From there, she found the location at 139 N Main Street and turned what started as making chocolatey gifts for friends and family into a brick and mortar business.

The shop offers about 25 flavors of ice cream at a time. Some of the options include vanilla bean, salted malted mocha, banana pudding, southern pecan pie and chocolate silk.

Some of the flavors tailored towards kids were named by Schleg’s five-year-old grandson, including “twizzle-horn,” an Italian ice that is pink, purple and yellow/white.

Adult-only options include dishes like Bailey’s Irish Cream and Chip and Spiked Caramel Apple.

Schleg also hopes to soon offer sugar-free options.

Specialty chocolate items available at the shop include truffles, caramel pecan clusters, chocolate-covered pretzels and more.

The shop also serves coffee roasted locally in Knox, with both hot and cold brew options.

Mercedeze Rain Ice Cream and Chocolates is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. It is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

The shop’s name comes from a combination of Schleg’s daughters’ middle names.