Pugnuts Ice Cream closing this week
Surry ice cream shop on the market for $1.1M
Oct. 7, 2026
By Lydia Hart
Storefront of Pugnuts Ice Cream Shop. Photo by Lydia Hart.
SURRY — Karlton Holmes and his husband, Eric Treworgy, opened Pugnuts Ice Cream Shop together in 2016. But after a decade of serving their community, Pugnuts is up for sale, as both owners are stepping away from their ice cream shop responsibilities.
“I think when both of the principals leave the business… it's clearly time for a change,” Holmes said.
A decade ago, Holmes and Treworgy knew they wanted to start a business that would engage the community. They floated ideas, including a bed and breakfast, before landing on an ice cream and gelato shop.
“It [PugNuts] sort of gave the giggly element of ice cream that I find so important while at the same time delivering a product that is really pretty high-end,” Holmes said.
Holmes especially likes the gelato they serve.
“It’s like the drag queen of ice creams,” Holmes said. “It has such a big character, and you can't help but just be mesmerized by it when you see it in its entirety.”
Not long after the shop opened, Pugnuts became a community staple. Pints were sold in local stores. Novelties such as cakes and lobster claw pops were sold in iconic Maine locations like the Jordan Pond House and on Cadillac Mountain.
A variety of Pugnut’s gelato offerings. Photo by Lydia Hart.
“I never had any idea that I was going to create a business that would impact a larger community like this one has,” Holmes said. “Before, I had just been an estate gardener… so it was quite a surprise.”
Pugnuts is selling for $1.1 million, with the sale including the business, the building, kitchen equipment, and the ice cream recipes. The building’s upstairs features “a cozy second-floor apartment” with three bedrooms, according to its real estate listing.
Holmes and Treworgy hope that the future buyer continues to keep the business a part of the community.
“It may not be that you need to lose your Pugnuts, and it may just be that it will be produced by someone else,” Holmes said.
Holmes offered a guest a sample of their Pug Passion gelato flavor, which had hints of cherry and almond. It captured the flavors of an ice cream sundae in one bite.
Next, Holmes offered a sample of their Blueberry Sorbet, a refreshing treat reminiscent of a beach day in the peak of summer.
A final sample was the Keylime Coolata flavor, bringing an explosion of pineapple and lime. It may make a customer want to book a cruise.
Pugnuts’ official last day is Oct. 11. Until then, it is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
