ASHLAND – A local family is busy putting the finishing touch on what is soon to be one of downtown Ashland’s sweetest spots.
The Schochs are preparing to open Priceless Treats, a cupcake bakery and liquid nitrogen ice cream shop, later this month. Located at 43 E. Main St., the shop is sandwiched between downtown staple, The Candy & Nut Shoppe, and a fellow new business, Taproom on Main.
The baker behind Priceless Treats is 17-year-old Andra Schoch, whose interest in cake decorating began several years ago through 4-H and has blossomed into a full-on passion.
Cupcakes became Andra’s specialty, she said, because “they’re cute and they taste good.”
Andra takes pride in her from-scratch recipes and quality ingredients as well as her fun flavors, like Strawberry Daquiri and Rootbeer Float.
“I just think of flavors and then see how they work in a cupcake,” Andra said.
Her personal favorite is her cookie dough cupcake, which is stuffed with a homemade eggless cookie dough and topped with a cookie dough truffle. She also makes a range of gluten-free cupcakes she hopes will be as popular with customers as they are with her family.
Andra’s signature buttercream frosting falls somewhere in between a traditional buttercream and a whipped icing, her mother, Leann said.
Sometime down the road, Andra hopes to sell her frostings seperately by the jar.
For now, Andra has her work cut out for her as she plans to offer a rotating menu with 12 different types of cupcakes daily. Along with all the baking, Andra will host cupcake decorating parties in the shop.
Meanwhile, the homeschooled senior will be finishing up high school and taking college classes online.
Andra’s father, Todd, has taken the lead on the second of the store’s specialties — homemade ice cream.
While his use of liquid nitrogen is sure to turn heads, Todd hopes it won’t be seen as gimmicky. For him, the fast-freezing technique is less about the memorable visuals and more about fresh flavors and creamy textures.
“It’s completely made from scratch, made to order in front of the customer,” Todd said. “We start with the raw ingredients, and it’s a short list of ingredients — basically milk, cream, sugar and whatever flavors are in it. Then we pour in the liquid nitrogen and stir it, and it’s frozen really quickly so it creates a really creamy texture of ice cream.”
Customers can choose from among five or six different rotating base flavors of ice cream and then choose ingredients to mix in, like fresh fruits or sweet treats from Candy & Nut Shoppe.
Todd’s approach to Priceless Treats is similar to his approach to the family’s other business, a laser tag business called Crash Combat Games.
“I figure if I’m having fun, the customers are probably having fun along with me,” he said.
The Schoch’s chose Buckeye Country Creamery’s A2 milk for their ice creams, not only because it is local but also because some people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate the milk. The shop will also offer almond, soy and coconut milk options.
Noting recent concerns in the national news about “Dragon’s Breath” snacks dipped in liquid nitrogen, Leann emphasized the shop prioritizes safety by making sure all the liquid nitrogen has fully evaporated out of the ice cream before serving it to customers.
In response to another of the shop’s frequently asked questions, Andra explained the name for Priceless Treats came from her desire to help raise awareness about human trafficking.
“There’s a band called For King and Country who has a song called ‘Priceless,’ and they have a book and movie called ‘Priceless’ about sex trafficking and raising awareness for that. The song is about how everyone is made in God’s image, and that’s priceless,” she said. “Everyone has that worth, even if they don’t know it.”
Andra plans to donate a portion of the revenue from the cupcake business to Christian ministries that help victims of trafficking, and her dream is that all her customers will leave feeling that they are loved.
Priceless Treat’s opening date and hours of operation have not yet been set, but the family encourages future customers to find Priceless Treats on Facebook for updates as they prepare to open later this month. The business also has a website, pricelesstreats.com.
