Lakeside Parlor owners Lori Whitmyer, left, and Karen Smoots are busy preparing for their second season. The ice cream parlor at Diamond Lake Golf Course will open at noon April 27. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)

After a successful first season, Karen Smoots and Lori Whitmyer are getting ready for the opening of Lakeside Parlor April 27.

Smoots and Whitmyer were overwhelmed by the success of Lakeside Parlor in its first season as part of the newly renovated clubhouse at Diamond Lake Golf Course.

The official 2013 opening is scheduled for noon.

“We never imagined opening and having such a great first season,” the owners agreed. “It was a ton of work getting this place remodeled, but was worth every second in the end.”

Not your normal clubhouse fare, Smoots and Whitmyer feature Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, which is made in Michigan. There are 26 flavors for golfers and patrons to choose from. Like Diamond Lake Golf Course, Lakeside Parlor is open to the public.

They also offer no sugar added, yogurt and sorbet flavors for special diets, as well as homemade transfat free waffle cones, which are made daily.

“We didn’t target this location, but we are more than thrilled where it ended up,” Smoots said. “Originally we wanted to be close to the lake. But after doing a little more research and seeing this location, we liked what we saw.”

“It’s more customer friendly,” Whitmyer said. “There’s more space.”

Both agreed that Loux running the golf course played a big role in the final decision.

“If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be here,” Smoots said.

The Diamond Lake Golf Course, like Lakeside Parlor began a new legacy in Cassopolis. One of southwest Michigan’s “hidden gems,” Diamond Lake Golf Course is a nine-hole, family friendly course under the direction of manager Bill Loux.

“We took it upon ourselves,” Whitmyer said of rebuilding the clubhouse and making Lakeside Parlor a reality.

“There really wasn’t anything in here except for the windows and the cement walls,” Smoots added.

Smoots and Whitmyer knew they were on to something when hundreds of people came during the construction phase of Lakeside Parlor and wanted to purchase ice cream.

“Last year we had a TV in here and we were watching the Master’s,” Smoots said. “It was nearly 90 on St. Patrick’s Day and we had people coming in wanting to know where the ice cream was.”

Diamond Lake Golf Course and Lakeside Parlor are hoping to make improvements each year.

The public is invited to help with a community clean-up at the facility April 20. They are asked to bring rakes, buckets, garbage bags and head on over to help clean.

There will be free hot dogs, chips, pop and water for participants.

For more information call Lakeside Parlor and Diamond Lake Golf Course at 445-3143.