Buck's!

Remember the freshman walk? We were all there... Waiting forever in a huddled mass, wearing our free t=shirts, and finally running through the columns towards Jesse, receiving Tiger Stripe Ice Cream. Those little tubs of vanilla ice cream with chocolate swirls are just the tip of a delicious iceberg known as Buck's Ice Cream.

I first ventured to Buck's with a friend from guard and the manager's daughter. We got a free scoop (connections, man, connections.) I chose Rocky Road, a wise choice, and tried Mocha Fudge as well. I promised to spread the word of Bucks, and heck, for free ice cream, who wouldn't?!

Lets see - The who, what, when, where, and why.

The Who: Founded by Wendell and Ruth Arbuckle (hence, Buck's) after they retired and wanted to to give back to MU. It was founded in 1989, after their 1987 drive to have ice cream research at Mizzou. (I know, cool, ice cream research!) The guy first in charge was Robert Marshall, who was dubbed an 'Arbuckle Professor for Ice Cream Research.'

The What: Ice cream, of course. They make all of their ice cream there, right behind where they serve it, and they always have their traditional 15 flavors: Black Walnut, Butter Pecan, Chocolate, Cookies and Cream, Mizzou Gold, Mocha Fudge, Peach Yogurt, Pumpkin Pie, Raspberry, Raspberry Sherbet, rocky Road, Strawberry, Strawberry-Banana Yogurt, Tiger Stripe and Vanilla. Besides those they have experimental flavors that pop up sometime, like praline. Although the hours of operation aren't the most accommodating, the prices are worth the trade. You get a dip for $1.25 (or if you are coupon savvy there is a $0.75 dip coupon in al the booklets) or 2 for $2.00, along with other packages like a $3.00 quart, $5.00 half-gallon, or massive $33.50 3-gallon tub.

The When: Times are somewhat inconvenient, for me at least (I enjoy random midnight adventures, and they don't accommodate for those) but they are open from noon until 5 pm Monday thru Friday.

The Where: Buck's is located over by College Avenue and Hatch, on the south side of Eckles Hall. Look for a big black and gold awning with a tiger and sign that says "Buck;s Ice Cream Place."

They Why: Probably the most important, the why. Well, it is amazing, that's why. It is a neat little shop that not everyone knows about, secluded on campus, a hidden treasure, one of those places that makes Columbia Columbia. And plus there isn't anywhere else can you get the famous tiger-stripe ice cream that tastes like tradition.

For more info, and where I got some of my facts, check out http://bucks.missouri.edu