What’s cooler than ice cream? The liquid nitrogen used at Federal Way’s Sub Zero to make those sweet treats.

Celebrating eight years of business in Federal Way this September, Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream is the first and only parlor of its kind in Washington.

The unique experience combined with delicious quality ice cream is what brings in the customers — and what makes them return time and time again, said Jack Walsh, owner of the Federal Way location and franchise area developer for Sub Zero.

“There’s the science, and the science is fun and exciting. There’s also just the novelty of it; it’s something new, different,” he said. “It’s an experience, it’s not just ice cream.”

Sub Zero has won Best Ice Cream eight years in a row in the Federal Way Mirror’s Best of Federal Way contest.

Kids of all ages, whether toddlers or adults, enjoy watching the freezing cloud pour over the counter as their ice cream is mixed, he said.

The parlor offers pre-curated sensation ice creams, or can create completely customizable icy delicacies.

Using a three-second blast of liquid nitrogen, the ice cream magician mixes the ingredients to create a frozen custom creation fit for any taste buds.

“With customizable ice cream, we can take care of any dietary restrictions,” Walsh said. Sub Zero serves vegan, lactose-free, sugar-free, and keto-friendly options among a range of flavors and additional toppings of gummy sweets to fresh fruit to chocolate candy bar bits.

“We have families who come in who have never been able to go out for ice cream together as a family because of different food sensitivities,” he said. “Here, we can customize it to whatever they want.”

It’s important for every customer to leave with a smile and an empty ice cream bowl, Walsh said.

Originally this Sub Zero location was started by Walsh and his son-in-law. Now Walsh operates the store with his wife, Judy, and some of the employees are his own kids.

Sub Zero provides thousands of dollars in gift certificates to local nonprofits, churches, clubs, PTAs, civic groups and more to support their local community, Walsh said.

“We appreciate the support the community has given us,” he said. “Federal Way has been so, so supportive of us. I love the Federal Way community. I feel this is where we should be and what we should be doing to make this community the best it can be.”

The local community provides a strong customer base, although some have traveled from as far as Britsh Columbia to see Sub Zero in action.

Federal way’s Sub Zero offers event catering, a new feature of ice cream cakes with image printing and a pick-up freezer so customers can skip the line when the cravings kick in.

“I want everybody that comes in to leave happier when they go out,” Walsh said. “We’re a happy place, we’re an uplifting place.”

Sub Zero Nitrogen Ice Cream is located at 31653 Pacific Highway S. in Suite A. For more information, visit www.subzeroicecream.com.