Houni’s Italian Ice is a sister act of sweetness

Morgan Calhoun and her sister, Walker Calhoun Hudzik, often get asked what the story is behind the name of Houni’s Italian Ice, their homemade Italian ice, gelati and soft-serve ice cream business in Greenville.

“Houni’s is actually from our last name,” Morgan Calhoun said, pronouncing the “houn” in Calhoun with added emphasis, then adding an “-i” at the end for good measure. “Our friends always called our mom ‘Mama Houni,’ and it kind of fits for what we’re trying to do as a really family-focused business.”

Mama Houni, by the way (real name Felicia Calhoun), also works with the two sisters in preparing their fresh-made Italian ice, rounding out the family-centric meaning behind the name.

Since opening in March 2020, just a few weeks before the start of pandemic lockdowns, the Calhoun sisters have quietly grown their store at 1884 Woodruff Rd. into a thriving brand, with mobile dessert carts, catering for events big and small, and prepackaged delivery of all their frozen products.

“We love to be a part of the community as much as we can. That’s what we got into this for.” – Morgan Calhoun

It’s been an organic process for the sisters who, after graduating from college (Walker Calhoun Hudzik is a Clemson University alum; Morgan Calhoun, Furman University), decided to go into business, together.

Now, they’re scooping out a niche.

From providing their treats to area schools like J.L. Mann, Wade Hampton and Mauldin, to churches like Grace Church, to local weddings and birthday parties and even sporting events like Greenville Triumph matches, the Calhouns are striving to bring-back the nostalgic role of the local ice cream shop and what it means for the community — albeit with Italian ice and gelati as well.

But sometimes, the classics are hard to beat.

“We were honestly surprised by the amount of people who come over and over just for the classic soft-serve ice cream,” Walker said.

While the timing of their opening, right on the cusp of a pandemic, was initially stressful, they soon found themselves thrust into a role that they hadn’t anticipated: a provider of normalcy, of comfort for kids and parents alike.

“We saw so many people coming in almost daily with their kids in back, I think just as a chance to get out of the house and have something sweet for once with all the craziness going on,” Walker said.

The sisters are now trying to figure out what’s next — another location might be in the works, along with expanded catering capabilities — but for now they’re working to nourish the footing they’ve already established.

“Whatever we do from here, we’re focused on staying a local family-owned-and-operated business,” Morgan said. “We love to be a part of the community as much as we can. That’s what we got into this for.”