it was supposed to be a french bistro.
that’s the part most people don’t know about Millie’s. before the pink pints, the waffle cone smell, and the expansions across the city, Lauren and Chad Townsend were going to open a restaurant called La Recette. but one not-so-great scoop from a local shop sparked something—and a $5,500 pacojet charge to Lauren’s credit card later, they were off.
what started in their home kitchen has now become a hometown favorite, known for nostalgic flavors, handmade cones, and the kind of branding that makes you stop mid-scroll. but beneath the cheerful colors is a story about timing, grit, and building something that scales without losing its soul.
we sat down with Lauren Townsend, co-founder of Millie’s, to talk about the early chaos, the pandemic pivot, and why Pittsburgh will always be part of the recipe.
the Q&A
Sarah: how did Millie’s 🍦 actually come to be?
Lauren: the plan was never ice cream. we were working on a concept for a french bistro called La Recette, and we were talking about it over ice cream one night… which turned out to be really disappointing. Chad looked at me and said, “I think I could make better ice cream than this.” and I, very naively, said “cool, want to try?”
fast forward a week and there’s a pacojet on my credit card, and he’s testing flavors in our kitchen. that turned into pop-ups. then the bistro idea went on pause. and we just… went for it.
Sarah: how did growing up (or working) in Pittsburgh shape how you do business?
Lauren: Pittsburghers are humble. they work hard. and they don’t take success for granted. I’m sure it stems from the mills closing in the 70’s and 80’s. I think we carried that with us, especially in the beginning. people really showed up for us. we weren’t perfect, but the support from the community helped shape what Millie’s became. some of those early customers still message me today.
Sarah: were there moments where Pittsburgh’s history influenced how you lead the company? 🧠
Lauren: totally. we make everything at Millie’s Ice Cream Works in Homestead, and that’s not a coincidence. we’re proud to manufacture here. it’s our little nod to the Steel Valley and what this city was built on.
Sarah: was there a “this city has our back” moment ✨ that really stuck with you?
Lauren: COVID, no question. we had just opened a brand-new manufacturing facility. the whole city shut down. we had no idea how we were going to make it. we launched a sundae box and suddenly it felt like everyone in Pittsburgh ordered one. they didn’t have to. they could’ve just grabbed grocery store ice cream. but they came to us. it meant everything.
Sarah: if you could go back and give yourself advice before this all started, what would it be? ✍🏼
Lauren: embrace the highs and the lows. entrepreneurship is wild. you have moments where you feel on top of the world and moments where you feel like you’ve ruined your life. and both are part of it.
Sarah: what was your hardest ‘no’?
Lauren: everyone told us not to make ice cream from scratch. like—please don’t do that. it’s complicated, expensive, regulated. you need to pasteurize your own dairy and basically operate like a certified plant. most people just use pre-made mix or hire a co-packer. but Chad’s a Chef. he wasn’t going to hand that off. now, we have this beautiful relationship with Twin Brook Dairy, and we build every flavor from the ground up. it was a huge lift. but it was the right call.
Sarah: if there was one thing you wish this community knew or better understood about Millie’s, what would it be?
Lauren: we take a lot of pride in our allergen protocol and inclusive offering, we always have dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and dye-free flavors. it’s important to us that the entire family can come to Millie’s and take a moment to enjoy their loved ones – and delicious ice cream with real ingredients (no weird science!).
Sarah: what role has collaboration played in Millie’s growth? 🤝🏼
Lauren: it’s one of my favorite things about this city. we’ve collaborated with restaurants, nonprofits, and other local makers. our rainbow cookie ice cream with Dianoia’s—people still talk about that. or the Smiley Cookie one with Eat’n Park. we’re always sourcing fun ingredients and ideas, and our team gets so excited when we get to bring another brand into the mix. it takes a village and the ‘burgh is one helluva village.
Sarah: what’s something people 👨👩👧👦 totally get wrong about Millie’s?
Lauren: I think people think all ice cream is kind of the same. but to me, it’s like pizza—there’s a huge range in quality. we don’t cut corners. we use real ingredients. no weird science, no unnecessary fillers, no pumping it full of air to make more profit. that’s actually a thing—it’s called “overrun.” you can taste the difference. but I also get that not everyone wants to pay more for it, and that’s okay too.
Sarah: what made you believe ice cream was the thing? was that always the dream 😴, or did it kind of sneak up on you?
Lauren: I worked in M&A before Millie’s and I sent Chad an email 3 years before we even started Millie’s with the subject line “can we please quit & start an ice cream business??” he wasn’t even my husband then, ha!
Sarah: do you ever worry that growing too fast 🏃🏻♀️ will lose what made Millie’s… Millie’s?
Lauren: it’s definitely something we think about constantly. franchising gets a bad rap, but when it’s done right, it’s not about dilution—it’s about finding people who love what we love and want to bring it to their city. we look for partners who care just as much about creating community and “making moments” as we do. we’re not just shipping out pints. we’re trying to clone the feeling.
Sarah: you’re still making cones from scratch and whipping cream by hand. why hold onto that? what does in-house 🏡 really mean at this stage?
Lauren: it’s just better that way! we’ve centralized manufacturing which allows our shop staff to focus on making our secret batter waffle cones. we want guests to smell those waffle cones as soon as they walk into Millie’s. I eat them for breakfast more days than I’d like to admit.
Sarah: most proud flavor? 🏆 and biggest flop?
Lauren: Chad’s Vanilla is a masterpiece. Chad spent a lot of time perfecting the vanilla, hence Chad’s Vanilla. there’s nothing to hide behind with vanilla and I think ours is the best dang vanilla in the land! there have been a few flops, for sure, especially early-on. chocolate-chicory was a flop. brown butter sage was definitely a flop. lemon verbena. (don’t tell my husband I said any of this.)
Sarah: what’s next? 🗞 the people need to know.
Lauren: Jacksonville is open! next up is Buffalo—which honestly feels a lot like Pittsburgh. they’re both cities full of good people doing cool things. it’s really exciting to grow, but even better to grow in places that feel like home.
Sarah: last question—cone or cup? 🍨
Lauren: waffle cone or bust.
