Millie's Homemade Plans Downtown Raleigh Location

The ice cream chain will open its first North Carolina store at 325 Blake St. near Moore Square before the end of the year.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Desserts

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a single cream ice cream scoop in a white cup on a wooden counter, with a blurred urban street behind it. — Millie's Homemade will open its first North Carolina location at 325 Blake St. near Moore Square in downtown Raleigh before the end of the year. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Millie's Homemade announced in a social media post on Monday, Nov. 2, that it will open a location in Downtown Raleigh's City Market at 325 Blake St. near Moore Square. The opening date has not been announced, though the site is scheduled to open before the end of the year.

Why it matters

The Raleigh site would be the chain's first location in North Carolina, extending a footprint that already includes Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, Maryland and Texas. For Raleigh residents, it adds a new dessert option in the city's downtown core.

Millie's, launched in 2014, currently operates across six states, and the Raleigh site at 325 Blake St. is scheduled to open before year's end. The exact opening date for the Downtown Raleigh location has not yet been disclosed.

The players

Millie's Homemade

A franchise ice cream brand launched in 2014 that sells classic, seasonal and signature flavors across several U.S. states.

Chad and Lauren Townsend

The co-founders of Millie's Homemade who launched the ice cream franchise in 2014.

The details

Millie's sells classic, seasonal and signature ice cream flavors, and packages pints through Millie's Ice Cream Works for sale in nearby grocery stores. The company was co-founded by Chad and Lauren Townsend and also operates a mobile truck in Tennessee.

2014: Millie's launches as a franchise.
Monday, Nov. 2: Millie's announces the Downtown Raleigh location.
Before the end of the year: The Raleigh location is scheduled to open.

Culture Shift

The Raleigh opening extends Millie's franchise footprint into North Carolina, its first location in the state, following a multi-state expansion that began with its 2014 launch. It reflects the continued spread of craft ice cream franchises into mid-sized urban downtown markets rather than relying solely on grocery-shelf distribution.

Raleigh residents will gain a new place to buy Millie's ice cream once the downtown location opens. Until then, the chain's pints remain available at nearby grocery stores in its existing markets.

The takeaway

For Raleigh ice cream fans, the downtown City Market location offers a new spot to try Millie's flavors without traveling outside North Carolina. Watch the chain's social media for the official opening date.