After going to a festival in Columbia, MD, I was in the mood for some ice cream. There was an ice cream truck at the festival, but I wanted something from the area. A web search found a likely place nearby. Owned and operated by two local entrepreneurs, Sweet Finishes exceeded my expectations.

Sweet Finishes did not start out as an ice cream parlor. Calvin Smith and Tosha Clark started it in early 2020 as a franchise of a national frozen yogurt chain. (A frozen yogurt sign above the store remains.)

But their customers were interested in a wider variety of product. However, the franchise owners have strict rules; they could serve only yogurt. Wanting to do more, Calvin and Tosha departed from the franchise and on Dec. 1, 2025 Sweet Finishes was born.

Menu

Sweet Finishes’ has about 30 different varieties of ice cream and frozen yogurt. They include: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Cookies & Cream, and Butter Pecan. Other flavors I noticed were: Praline, Mint Chocolate Chip, Heath Bar (which was almost gone!), Superman, and Chocolate Brownie.

Sweet Finishes also has Gluten Free, Vegan and No Sugar Added (NSA) varieties. The ice cream is served in a cup or a cone. They have three kinds of sundaes, plus a create your own option. In addition to ice cream, Sweet Finishes also has Smoothies, Cookies. Brownies. and coffee.

My Choice

With so many flavors, it was hard to chose. I had made up my mind and was about to order when I noticed another case with more flavors. Calvin told me to relax and take my time. I am so grateful that he did. I chose 2 scoops: NSA Peach (no sugar added) and Salted Caramel Pretzel. I also decided to splurge and get it in a cone, which was only $1.99 more!

The salted caramel was rich, creamy, and had a deep caramel flavor. The pretzel was not soggy at all and provided a nice crunch. The peach had a strong peach flavor and had real peach chunks inside. The base was yogurt, so it was not as rich as the caramel. Despite that, it was great. I recommend both flavors.

Atmosphere

Both Calvin and Tosha were present and were very welcoming. They advised me on flavors and spent a little time describing the history of the place. They pointed me to a stack of the latest Business Monthly which had an article on the place. The walls are brightly decorated, including a chalk board where one could draw on. Calvin made sure I took a picture of the “This is my Happy Place” section of the wall. A lot of people get their picture taken there.

Sweet Finishes is one of the best finds I have had. There is a great variety of high quality ice cream, and the owners are super nice. I wish them the best.