Gray’s Ice Cream, a Tiverton institution for more than 100 years, has new owners.

The ice cream shop, a busy place on hot summer days, had been owned by Tiverton resident Marilyn Davol since 1981. But since early September, it’s been under the control of Rumford resident Brian Sadler, his son Christian and daughter Ashley. They also own Gray’s Bristol location, and under East and Main LLC, purchased the Tiverton location for $800,000, according to Tiverton tax records.

“I have very fond memories of going to Gray’s,”Ashley Sadler Fisher said. “My mom had coconut ice cream as her last meal before she gave birth to me.”

The shop was bought sort of on a whim. Family members had known Davol over the years and were aware that she was entering retirement age. They began speaking with her between late 2023 and early 2024 before purchasing the property on Sept. 11.

Fisher described the Sadler family as entrepreneurial, mentioning that while they have been involved in other businesses, this is the first time they have owned an ice cream shop. While the ownership will be different, regular customers at Gray’s will not have to worry about a new team of employees coming in to replace the current staff, she said.

“There’s a great team at Gray’s who do a wonderful job. We still work very closely, and they continue to be a big part of the operation.”

With the slow winter season on the way, Fisher said the family will use the time before the summer crunch to learn and grow, so they can hit the ground running next year.

Fisher said they want to add new flavors and “other fun things” during the busy summer season. The main goal is to keep Gray’s vibe the same, with the attention that only a small family-owned leadership group can accomplish.