LYNCHBURG, Ohio — What looks like an ordinary Marathon gas station on U.S. Route 50 in Highland County hides something extraordinary inside — a family-run ice cream shop creating giant milkshakes that have become a destination for dessert lovers.
Terry's Ice Cream Dairy Bar operates inside the gas station, where the McGinnis family has turned traditional milkshakes into edible works of art. These "crazy shakes" are loaded with everything from pumpkin rolls and pumpkin pie to pumpkin cake and pumpkin ice cream, creating towering treats that require multiple plates to manage.
"My girls say it's my obsession. I'm always looking because other places do them as well, so you have to look and see what they're doing," said Jessica McGinnis, who runs the ice cream bar.
Watch the creation of a towering "crazy shake" unfold in the video below:
The shakes start with a traditional milkshake base, but then the real artistry begins. Each creation is unique, depending on which family member is crafting it.
I asked Jessica how people even eat these towering treats.
"It's a talent — that's why the plate comes with it, and we hand out multiple plates as well," she said.
Jessica's father, Terry, dreamed of creating a family business — so the ice cream shop was born. Now, generations of his family are keeping it truly family-operated.
"My dad was always about family. There's five of us kids and some grandkids that work here," McGinnis said.
Regular customer Kim Garvie said the experience goes beyond just the food.
"The only way to describe it is to come here yourself. The pictures do not do them justice, because each one is different depending on who the crazy shake artist is that makes it. No two are the same, and they just make the whole experience that much more worth it," Garvie said.
The gas station also serves subs and specialty pizzas, including pickle pizza, but the crazy shakes have become the main attraction that draws visitors from across the region to this rural Highland County stop.
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