Scooping Up Community Cindy Ursell on Preserving a Sylvania Tradition at Charlie's Homemade Ice Cream & Burgers

Some places become more than restaurants. They become part of a community's story. For generations of families in Sylvania, Charlie's Homemade Ice Cream & Burgers has been one of those places. In this episode of Women in the Driver Seat, Mary Helen sits down with Cindy Ursell, owner of Charlie's Homemade Ice Cream & Burgers, to talk about preserving a beloved local tradition while creating new memories for generations to come.

For Cindy, Charlie's has always been personal. As a child, she visited after softball and soccer games. Years later, she brought her own children for ice cream, and eventually they worked there before she and her husband became owners. Today, carrying on Charlie's legacy is something she considers both an honor and a responsibility.

"It's been a part of our lives forever," Cindy says, reflecting on the special role the restaurant has played in her family's story and in the lives of so many others throughout the Sylvania community.

Owning an independent business comes with challenges, and Cindy is the first to acknowledge that every day brings something new. Whether adapting to changing customer preferences or navigating the unexpected, she believes success comes from staying flexible, embracing each challenge, and continuing to move forward.

"You've just got to accept it," she explains. "Every season has a new hurdle."

While honoring Charlie's history remains important, Cindy has also found ways to keep the menu exciting for new generations. Many of the restaurant's original recipes are still made today, preserving the flavors longtime customers know and love. At the same time, she and her husband have introduced more than 175 new homemade ice cream flavors over the past five years, constantly experimenting with creative combinations and giving customers something new to look forward to every visit.

Community has always been at the heart of Charlie's.

Throughout the year, the restaurant partners with local schools, sports teams, theater programs, marching bands, and community organizations by hosting fundraising events and providing opportunities for young people to showcase their talents. Cindy especially enjoys opening the doors to student musicians, giving small ensembles a chance to perform live for the community in a welcoming setting.

More than anything, Cindy hopes Charlie's remains a place where people feel comfortable gathering.

She wants neighborhood kids to have the same safe, welcoming environment she enjoyed growing up, where friends can meet after school, families can celebrate milestones, and neighbors can simply spend time together over burgers and homemade ice cream.

"We're always a family first environment," she says, "and I hope to keep it that way."

That commitment to community is what has made Charlie's such a lasting part of Sylvania for more than four decades. While the menu continues to evolve and new flavors are added every season, the heart of the restaurant remains the same: bringing people together.

This conversation is a reminder that small businesses often become the places where lifelong memories are made, and leaders like Cindy Ursell help ensure those traditions continue for generations to come.

👉 Watch now to hear how Cindy Ursell is preserving the legacy of Charlie's Homemade Ice Cream & Burgers while creating new traditions for families across the Sylvania community.