Westwood’s sweet tooth is about to wake up again. Putz’s Creamy Whip is set to reopen for the 2026 season on Monday, March 23, bringing back its soft-serve cones and foot-long cheese coneys to Cincinnati’s West Side. The family-run stand, perched on West Fork Road near Montana Avenue since the late 1930s, is such a neighborhood staple that opening day feels more like a community holiday, with regulars lining up at the walk-up window as soon as the lights flick on.
According to WKRC, the stand announced its March 23 kickoff yesterday, February 18, and spotlighted the core menu that has kept generations of Cincinnatians coming back. The station’s brief update is the latest confirmation of the date locals have been circling as the weather starts to warm up.
A Hometown Tradition Since 1938
Putz’s roots stretch back to 1938, when founders Constantine and Anna Putz started selling ice cream out of trolley cars before eventually moving the operation to the corner it occupies today, according to the shop’s own history. The business has stayed in the family, and its tight, familiar menu has helped it hang on as a neighborhood anchor through decades of change. For more on how it all started, see Putz’s history.
Old Machines, Familiar Tastes
Local food writers have long credited Putz’s staying power to its old-school gear and recipes. Cincinnati Magazine has highlighted a 1950s Electro-Freeze soft-serve machine that fans say gives the ice cream its unmistakable texture. Regional TV segments have also pointed to the short, comfort-food-heavy menu and the stand’s seasonal routine, including typical hours and payment details in past years, as key reasons the opening-day crowd reliably shows up.
Plan Your Visit
Anyone heading out for opening day should be ready for a busy walk-up window and a bit of a wait. The stand lists its address and phone number on its contact page, so you can call ahead to double-check hours or other details before making the trip. Check Putz’s contact page for the current address and phone information.
