Big Dipper Ice Cream Parlour makes and serves their homemade, small batch ice cream out of an unremarkable 1,350-square foot shop in a tiny town.

But their award-winning ice cream reaches fans throughout the state, including all the way north through Hartford County and elsewhere.

Paul Brault, who’s reopening Bart’s Drive-in in Windsor has said he’ll carry Big Dipper ice cream, because it’s his favorite.

Big Dipper is carried in numerous stores and sold at public and private events via an ice cream vehicle.

“I think, live and breathe ice cream,” said owner Harry Rowe, who works seven days a week. “If you love what you do, it doesn’t seem like you’re working.”

Prospect Mayor Bob Chatfield , remembers the early days of Big Dipper and how Harry Rowe’s dad, Big Dipper founder Harry Rowe Jr. won ice cream competitions in the midwest, beating out places that had their own farms.

Chatfield said people find out where Prospect is, “because they want to find Big Dipper because that’s what friends have talked about.

“The key is they make their own ice cream and invent all these flavors you’ve never heard of,” said Chatfield, who fancies the maple walnut.

Harry Rowe took over with his mother, Barbara Rowe, about 18 years ago after the elder Rowe passed.

But not much has changed, except that business has grown.

Their No. 1 business approach, Rowe said, has been to carry on his dad’s traditions, such as his process for making ice cream and his commitment to fresh and in some cases, brand specific ingredients.

“It’s going to sound crazy, but even how to mix certain ingredients like the chocolate chips,” said Rowe, 48. “It was a great way to carry on my dad’s legacy and tradition.”

Neither Harry Rowe nor his mom remember why Harry Rowe Jr. decided to go into the ice cream business in 1986 when they first opened.

But the elder Rowe took it seriously, taking a hard-to-get-into ice cream making course at Rutgers University.

Rowe said at Big Dipper they start with a 16 percent milkfat mix from a third generation farm in Vermont. Few ice cream shops in Connecticut start from scratch without a base, as health regulations require a pasteurization process.

Rowe said they add flavorings into a mixing machine, two of them are original machines, and in about eight minutes the ice cream comes out as soft serve.

Then by hand, their team of ice cream makers add in chocolate chips, cookie dough, dark chocolate, fresh strawberries or other ingredients.

Following a several hours long freezing process that includes a freezer at 42 degrees below zero, it’s ready to scoop.

They have 32 flavors, including vegan offerings, offered at once and lots of specialty flavors that rotate on the menu.

Sometimes when customers come up with a flavor, they will make a batch and test it out.

Some interesting flavors include: French toast with cinnamon, graham jam, butter nut cashew, Amaretto almond, lemon cheesecake, banana peanut butter, Mississippi mud, and espresso bean.

One of the most popular flavors is the toasted almond created by the elder Rowe, as he had sought to replicate the taste of the popular old time Good Humour toasted almond ice cream bar.

Harry Rowe Jr. used a carefully chosen almond crunch that they still use today, his son said.

Harry Rowe said his dad always stressed that it was important to help other ice cream places, for instance if they ran out of chocolate chips.

“That’s just the type of guy he was. He always wanted to help people,” Rowe said.

The younger Rowe has that same helping way about him, Chatfield said, as he generously gives to civic organizations in Prospect.

“He’s just very much a part of the community,” Chatfield said, noting there should be five verys in that sentence.

Chatfield said “the line is out the door” during Little League season and referring to the ice cream shop, said, “Good things come in small packages.” He calls the women on staff “the Dipperettes.”

Rowe is so tuned into the nuances of how ice cream makes people feel, that he treasures the sight of kids with ice cream all over their lips and dripping down their chins, he said.

“It’s very fast paced and I love when kids and their families come in. They might not have a smile on their face when they come in, but when they leave they all have smiles on their faces,” Rowe said. “If you have stressful day and you see that, it’s worth all the labor that you put into it. ”

The Rowe family, who began the business when young Harry was 10, started in a smaller space and three years later moved just up the street for more space at 91 Waterbury Road, where they remain.

Barbara Rowe, who decorated ice cream cakes all those years, retired about four years ago, but still helps when needed, her son said.

Big Dipper has been voted best ice cream in the state by several organizations through the years and that’s proudly displayed inside on a wall with thank yous from civic organizations.

There is seating inside and outside.

Customers online give Big Dipper Ice Cream Parlour high ratings for service, friendliness and flavor.

During busy times there can be a wait, they say, but old fashioned milk containers lining the front of the counter sometimes serve as seats. “It’s worth the wait,” customers say online.

One online review wrote: “The Big Dipper has some of THE best ice cream I’ve ever had! They always have tons of unique flavors and they offer a huge variety of toppings and options.

Another wrote: “The chocolate and the toasted almond are to die for.”

A self-described “foodie” wrote that as they started to make friends with other foodies in Connecticut, “It became apparent that Big Dipper is one of the more beloved ice cream spots around CT.” They referred to Big Dipper as “ice cream royalty.”