DOWNTOWN CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – July is National Ice Cream Month and you voted for Off Track Ice Cream as one of the most popular shops in the Lowcountry.

Husband and wife duo, Marc and Alissa Zera, are co-owners of Off Track Ice Cream which is located in downtown Charleston.

What started with making ice cream at home grew into a business on Beaufain Street. “We make everything from scratch,” said Marc. “It started off as a hobby and turned into a career,” he said.

Marc uses his talent for numbers and formulas to create each flavor.

“I’ve always been kind of formulaic with numbers and stuff and desserts, specifically, really need to be structured,” said Marc.

He spends his time carefully mixing batches like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, or limited-time summer flavors peanut butter and jelly, birthday cake, and Fluffernutter Blondie.

Despite all of the flavors, “Cookies and Crème has definitely been our most popular flavor, since day one,” said Alissa of their selection.

There are two types of ice cream you can choose from when visiting the shop: traditional and vegan.

“Maybe you have lactose intolerance, or you have some sort of dairy or egg allergy. Our vegan ice cream kind of allows for more people to be able to have our ice cream,” Alissa said.

Her husband’s favorite choice on the traditional list might sound like an unusual choice. His favorite ice cream they make and sell is Key Lime Pie, and he came up with the idea from one of their neighbors who suggested the flavor.

“He said it was the flavor that he grew up with,” he said, noting that he doesn’t see anyone else make it – or make it well. “I was like, I really like key lime pie, and I’m going to think about this flavor. So, we experimented with it a little bit,” said Marc.

Off Track Ice Cream is located on Beaufain Street in downtown Charleston, and features traditional, vegan, and inventive flavors made from scratch using locally sourced ingredients. They are open Sunday – Thursday from noon until 10:00 p.m., and Friday – Saturday from noon until 11:00 p.m.