Junior Olivia Page has spent a lot of time at her family’s renowned ice cream shop – going all the way back to just after she was born.
“It was the first place my family took me when we left the hospital after I was born,” Page said.
Page said that her parents stopped on the way home at the family shop, Page’s Dairy Mart, so that their family and friends could meet her for the first time.
That visit also emphasized how important the shop is to her family. The Dairy Mart has been a big part of her life ever since.
“I started working there when I was around 14, but I have been helping out for as long as I can remember,” Page said.
The store has been home to many of her family’s most special moments, such as her younger brother’s gender reveal two years ago. Family and friends came down to the Dairy Mart dressed in pink and blue to watch the reveal.
“They shot (confetti) cannons off the roof and changed the color of the (Page’s) sign,” she said. “It was a big event and even the customers celebrated.”
Located on Carson Street in the busy South Side, Page’s is one of Pittsburgh’s best-known ice cream shops. Founded in 1951, it has been passed down for four generations, starting with Olivia Page’s great-great-grandfather, Charles Alexander Page.
The Dairy Mart is currently run by Page’s aunt, Margie Page Prusia.
“It feels surreal at times,” Prusia said. “But I’ve been in it so long it doesn’t feel much different in a lot of ways. Whenever I worked for my dad, I always tried to treat the business the way he would – with respect and integrity.”
Over the years the business has expanded, introducing a variety of new flavors, merchandise and partnerships. For instance, the Dairy Mart has partnered with other Pittsburgh companies, such as the clothing line Steel City.
The ice cream shop is such a Pittsburgh staple that in 2012, April 17 was declared Page Dairy Mart Day by Councilman Bruce A. Kraus. Page’s also has also won recognition from Pittsburgh media and bloggers, including earning a “Best of the ’Burg” award from Pittsburgh Magazine in 2019.
Food influencer Mike Sola from the Instagram account @dope.eats.pgh has been reviewing Pittsburgh places on Instagram since 2023, and he has accumulated more than 97,000 followers. He said that the Dairy Mart’s legacy sets it apart from other ice cream shops.
“Page’s has that real-deal, earned-their-stripes hype. They serve like a million people a day, so the menu’s wild, and everything’s super fresh — because it has to be. It’s like ice cream at festival speed.”
He said Page’s ice cream is something he craves, even in the off season.
“I drive by it every single day and even in December, when they’re locked up tight, I still look over at it. Every time we wait in line for food (at a restaurant), my head always goes straight to Page’s,” Sola said.
In addition to being part of a family tradition, working at the shop has had other benefits for Page. During the 2022 season, the Dairy Mart offered a series of ice cream pops named after Page and other staff members. Her pop featured raspberry ice cream coated in a chocolate dip, and it was called the Olipop.
There are 30 distinct flavors of soft serve ice cream on the shop’s menu, including dairy-free options. There are many ways to mix and match orders as well as add on toppings.
“It’s basically endless,” Page said.
Her personal favorite item to recommend to new customers is the Fruity Pebbles Arctic Swirl with strawberries added in.
Sola, the food blogger, said his top pick would be the Nancy B. Sundae, which incorporates cookies from Nancy B’s bakery in Homestead.
“It’s basically Pittsburgh royalty in a cup,” he said.
The Dairy Mart also offers numerous food options, including their South Side hot dog and other hoagies and sandwiches.
Baldwin students are both customers and, occasionally, employees. Junior Cami Zulka has been working at the Dairy Mart since the end of last season and said she enjoys working with Olivia Page.
“We have a lot of fun working together without getting off task,” she said. “Having someone you’re close with makes working enjoyable.”
Due to the shop’s popularity, it is very common for the line of customers to be wrapped around the building.
“You just have to learn to work fast and keep up, so that the line doesn’t get too long. But eventually you get used to the lines,” Zulka said.
Freshman Caylee Page, Olivia Page’s younger sister, has also spent her childhood helping out.
She said her favorite tradition is the Dairy Mart’s “Christmas in July” event. Many customers come dressed in red and green, and she and her sister have worked after hours to help decorate.
“We have had local artists and small businesses helping to support by selling their items, Dairy Mart merchandise, playing games, and spreading Christmas cheer,” Caylee Page said.
Olivia Page said that she has met many new people through working at the shop. She believes the family environment makes it more enjoyable than the average job.
“I just like how close I am with everyone else, because there are people from other schools and older people,” she said. “It’s fun talking to everybody and getting to know them.”
