A Maryland ice cream chain that's been racking up accolades is finally setting up shop in Montgomery County. Always Ice Cream Company is opening a new location at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, taking over a 1,200-square-foot space at 11802 Rockville Pike that most recently housed a PetWellClinic veterinary office.
The shop will mark the company's ninth brick-and-mortar location and its first in Montgomery County, according to Bethesda Magazine, which reported the opening is slated for this fall. The outlet notes Always Ice Cream is run by brothers Mark and Adam Cohen, who have grown the business to eight brick-and-mortar shops — all in Maryland — plus an ice cream truck. Mark Cohen has said Pike & Rose was always one of the brothers' dreams for the brand.
Other coverage has pointed to a slightly later timeline. MoCo Show reported the shop plans to open its doors in the fourth quarter of 2026, and the site previously said the space sits between Chipotle and Visionworks along Rockville Pike. According to WhatNow, MoCo Show reported as of Sunday that the chain is now targeting a late-November opening.
From Vet Clinic to Ice Cream Counter
The Pike & Rose space has sat empty since PetWellClinic permanently closed its veterinary care location at 11802 Rockville Pike, Suite D, per a separate MoCo Show report. Once open, the one-story commercial building will serve up traditional scoops, soft serve, ice cream cakes, milkshakes, malts, floats and sundaes, Bethesda Magazine reports. Pike & Rose officials told MoCo Show the addition strengthens the development's growing lineup of dining and retail destinations.
Always Ice Cream has built its reputation on sheer variety. The flavor count varies depending on the source: Bethesda Magazine describes the company as manufacturing more than 250 flavors of ultra-premium ice cream, while the company's own website advertises over 250 flavors on rotation, and MoCo Show has described the lineup as more than 200 rotating flavors. Co-founder Mark Cohen told Store Reporter, “We are a true old-fashioned ice cream parlor, but with a modern spin,” describing a concept that introduces new flavors almost every week.
A Growing Footprint Beyond Annapolis
Always Ice Cream has also drawn national attention, having been named the No. 1 ice cream shop in the country by Fodor's Travel, according to the same MoCo Show report. The company's pints and batches are sold at more than 300 retailers across 15 states, Bethesda Magazine notes, and the brand plans to collaborate with local schools and businesses on limited-time flavors and fundraising nights once the Pike & Rose shop is running.
The chain's expansion into Montgomery County follows a pattern of steady growth beyond its Anne Arundel County roots. Back in 2021, the company was already eyeing additional stores in Edgewater and Severna Park, according to the Capital Gazette. More recently, Rockville Nights reported the brand is now expanding into both Montgomery and Charles counties, a sign the Pike & Rose shop may not be its last stop in the region.
