In Swampscott, many residents know the seasons are changing by the status of Kell’s Kreme. The ice cream landmark on Humphrey Street bursts with business in the spring and summer, and it is closed in the winter.

The shop’s seasonal schedule doesn’t stop residents from making Kell’s Kreme a regular stop for vanilla, Milky Way or Tollhouse weekly – or even daily for some

“It’s great. I mean who doesn’t love ice cream?” said Doug Pass, who is one of the managers of the Swampscott and Revere locations. “It’s almost like they don’t want it to be anything but seasonal. I think people wait all year for it and love that it’s a summer time activity. It’s not just going to get ice cream. It’s waiting in line and seeing people you know.”

Harry Pass owns Kell’s Kreme, whose original Revere Beach location opened in 1967 “and is still going strong.” Before opening its Humphrey Street location in 2008, the shop operated in Vinnin Square for a year.

“It’s a family business,” said Pass, who has been working in the family business since he was 14, and is now also joined by his partner Erik, who is a manager as well. 

Over the decades, Pass said, Kell’s Kreme has remained a constant.

“I feel like we have a role in the community where I grew up and I’m proud of it,” Pass said. “I’m love that the store is still so popular after all these years.”

Pass said the store almost feels like a “summer camp” as well, with the teenagers that come to work for him during the summer.

“It’s a lot of good memories for these kids, that they take away from it,” Pass said. “We have kids that come back while in college and beyond wanting to pick up shifts. It’s a special place.”

The store serves Edy’s hard ice cream in flavors including s’mores, chocolate, strawberry, Oreo, cookie dough and chocolate chip. Last summer, the shop even tested a lobster flavor that, Pass said, “people actually came back and ordered again.”

“People said it was good,” Pass said.

The menu also features soft serve made with what Harry called “the best ingredients.”

“There’s not too many places that specialize in soft serve,” Harry said, joking that Kell’s Kreme has “stayed in business because of the vanilla.”

Pass said the soft serve is “different from other soft serves you might get somewhere else, especially if you’re going to a fast food place.” It tastes different and is creamier than others.

“It’s all about the milk fat,” Pass said. “We’re using a 10% which makes it not just soft serve but we are legally ice cream because it has to be 10% for it to actually be ice cream. Our vanilla soft serve – and our chocolate too – is actually a premium product.”

Pass said the key is the balance of air and milk fat. When the milk content is at 5%, like at other places, “you’re just getting fluffy milk.” At Kell’s Kreme, the soft serve is “actually fluffy ice cream.”

“People definitely know us for our soft serve,” Pass said. “If you know you know. Those in the know know it’s all about our soft serve.”

Swampscott residents certainly agree. Swampscott Tides readers voted vanilla their favorite flavor, with 25.8% of the vote. Coffee followed at 19.4%, while Oreo received 16.1%.

Customers can also add “flavor bursts,” concentrated flavorings swirled into the soft serve, with options including piña colada, peach twist, green apple, butterscotch and bubblegum.

Pass said his favorite is the cotton candy flavor.

“It’s the blue one, so the kids love it,” Pass said. 

And people are driving far distances just to experience some Kell’s Kreme. Pass said the shop’s reputation extends well beyond the North Shore.

“Somebody drove up to us the other day and said they came from Providence to get our soft serve,” Pass said.