It rarely gets above 60 degrees in King Cove, but the chilly Aleutian winds don’t stop locals from getting soft serve year-round.
For the past five years, R and C Ice Cream and Bakery has been more than just a place to grab a sweet treat. Since King Cove’s only seafood processor closed in 2024, the family-run shop has become a staple gathering place in the community.
Carter Uttecht, 21, is the co-owner of R and C Ice Cream and Bakery, and proudly calls it the westernmost ice cream shop in the United States.
“We serve everything from scoops to sundaes, milkshakes to soft serve, and then occasionally we'll have baked goods, like cookies,” Uttecht said.
Uttecht has worked at the shop since he was 16, and said serving ice cream runs in the family.
“My great grandma and my great grandpa — they also used to own their own ice cream shop, and theirs was called A and E ice cream and bakery, hence kind of where our name came from, R and C,” Uttecht said. “A is for Archie and E is for Elaine, so Archie and Elaine, and then R and C is Rita, my mother, and then C for me, Carter.”
Although he was too young to remember his great-grandparents' shop, Uttecht grew up hearing stories about the business and the role it played in the community. Today, R and C has built a similar reputation.
Located in the city gym building, the shop hosts a display case full of ice cream and baked goods, along with board games and King Cove yearbooks dating back to the 80s. Uttecht said creating a welcoming space for people to gather has been one of the business’s priorities.
“Sometimes people come and hang out for hours and hours, which is kind of what we've been working on building over the last couple years — a place the community can go to mingle and be together,” Uttecht said. “We've kind of lost a lot in King Cove over the last couple years, so having a space like that is pretty important to us.”
In the spring of 2024, King Cove’s only seafood processor closed practically overnight due to financial troubles. The plant was an economic driver, bringing in revenue and supporting local businesses in the fishing town of less than 800 people. Uttecht said since the closure, families have left the community and businesses have shuttered.
Through those changes, the ice cream shop has remained a constant, he said.
Operating a rural shop also comes with logistical challenges. The shop’s ice cream is made in Oregon, before being trucked to Seattle, then shipped nearly 1,700 miles by barge to King Cove.
The closure of the processing plant has also made it difficult to store extra stock, Uttecht said. Peter Pan previously allowed the business to keep their overflow ice cream in the company’s freezers.
Despite those hurdles, the shop celebrated its fifth year of business in June. Uttecht said the community has a lot to do with their success.
“Something that's been pretty awesome — we've found out throughout the years is how amazing the community has been to support us,” he said, “because if it wasn't for them, we really wouldn't be here.”
