Liz Wood is the proud owner of Wood’s Ice Cream, a charming ice cream stand located in Westport, Massachusetts. Liz took over the family business in 2012, a venture that her parents started in 2001 when they transformed a barn on their family farm into an ice cream stand. The land itself has been in the family since 1900, when her great-great-grandfather Charles Wood bought the property and started a dairy and cattle farm. From the early 1900s until the 2000s, the farm evolved through various agricultural businesses, including at times dairy farming, cattle brokering, a slaughter house, a vegetable farm, a vegetable farm stand, and then an ice cream stand.   

Raising a family while running a small seasonal business is just how Liz likes it; she cherishes the connection to her roots. She is able to carry on her family’s legacy through Wood’s Ice Cream, while spending time with her family, the way her mom and dad raised their family.   

Even though her father Jim Wood was granted an exemption out of high school because he was a farmer in Westport and a Quaker, Jim enlisted in the marines during the Vietnam War. When Jim left the Marines, he joined his father’s (Liz’s Grandfather), Alton Wood’s farm and cattle business. Jim soon met and married his wife Joan, a special needs teacher in Dartmouth and then in Westport. Jim and Joan Wood ran Wood’s Farm and the Wood’s Ice Cream until they passed the business to Liz in 2012.  

Of course, Liz’s journey with Wood’s Ice Cream began in her childhood. She was always involved with the stand, working there through her school years and eventually taking the reins after college. Despite pursuing a degree in psychology, Liz found her way back to the family business quickly after graduating, more fully appreciating the flexibility it offered, especially as a new mother. “My mother was always home because she was a teacher during the school year and then was home during the summer,” Liz explained. “As a farmer, my father was always home … I like to be able to hold on to that tradition of the housewife and the mom being home for her children.”  Today, Liz carries on her family’s legacy by adapting to the ever-changing landscape of the ice cream business and taking pride in maintaining the traditional charm of the walk-up ice cream stand.  

The offerings are large, not small

Wood’s Ice Cream offers an impressive array of flavors, including popular choices like vanilla, chocolate, and coffee, along with unique offerings like the dubai chocolate, a viral trend on social media that is made with milk chocolate, creamy pistachio, and crunchy shredded phyllo dough mix in, and black bear, which features a vanilla base swirled with raspberry and raspberry chocolate cups. For those seeking something with a bit of zing, try the caffeinated cow, a frappe made with cold brew coffee. Liz credits the Mirasol’s Café’s chippi, as inspiring her caffeinated cow. Mirasol’s opened in Dartmouth in 2005 and has been serving its “super-charged caffeine lover’s dream,” the trademarked “Chippi” ever since.  

Liz is committed to maintaining high standards for her business, focusing on customer service, cleanliness, and generous portion sizes. Liz reflected, “If I had a nickel for every time I handed out ice cream, and the customer said, oh, this is a small? So yeah, we’re known for our large portion sizes.”  

Her approach to hiring and staffing reflects her dedication to customer service.  She selects employees who demonstrate a strong work ethic and a positive attitude. After a short training period, new hires are offered positions as substitutes — able to perform all the jobs within the shop, but without a fixed shift. When a substitute is needed, Liz goes down the list and selects one. Her approach helps Liz keep all the shifts fully staffed and allows her to observe how the new hires interact with the more experienced staff and determine who are good with customers, are motivated to be available for more shifts, eager to learn and of course, who do a good job. This results in a strong rotation of friendly, hardworking staff, the heart of every ice cream shop.  

Liz Wood’s dedication to Wood’s Ice Cream and preserving her family legacy is clear. By blending traditional charm with innovative flavors, Liz ensures that Wood’s Ice Cream remains a local treasure. Her focus on customer service, generous portions, and a strong team of hardworking staff, she continues to drive the success of the business.  

Visit Wood’s Ice Cream at 17 Adamsville Road, Westport, Massachusetts, to experience the delightful mix of traditional and innovative flavors. And when you go, try a small mocha chip in a cone — rich coffee flavored ice cream with chocolate chips.  

Marisol’s Cafe has shops in Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and New Bedford. It has a range of hot and cold food, salads and an array of frozen drinks, many of which are caffeinated. Visit Marisol’s in Dartmouth at 439 State Road; in New Bedford at 52 Fisherman’s Wharf Pier 3; and in Fairhaven at 21 People’s Way.