Ice cream and doughnut shop opens in State College

STATE COLLEGE — Lovers of cool ice cream and warm doughnuts can now enjoy them together at a new downtown State College shop.

About a month after hanging its sign at 426 E. College Ave., on the lower level of Greenwich Court, Happy Buns opened for business Feb. 17.
Owner Ohm Kongtang explained to StateCollege.com in January that the doughnuts are handcrafted, and customers can pick what kind of ice cream they want in the middle and one or more toppings.

‘It gets put into a machine that fuses the doughnut and the ice cream together, where it warms the doughnut up so you have a nice warm bun and the ice cream stays cold in the middle,’ he said.

THON weekend had been the target opening date for Happy Buns, and late Feb. 16 — the opening night of THON — the owner and workers were putting the finishing touches on the inside of the restaurant, which has a sleek, laid-back feel.

The variation of ice cream flavors at Happy Buns is influenced by pop culture and local favorites. Flavors include “Cuppa Joe Pa,” “Rocky’s Road” and “Don’t Be Salty.”

State College has seen a spate of trendy new dessert shops, with Momotaro, featuring Thai ice cream, at 220 W. College Ave., and Peace, Love & Little Donuts at 421 E. Calder Way both opening in 2017. Duck Donuts plans to open soon at 125 S. Fraser St.
Happy Buns adds a new twist, Kongtang said.

‘It’s definitely a different concept and first of its kind in State College,’ he said. ‘We’re trying to bring some new, modern ideas to the community.’