Chicken salad sandwich at Snow Ball ice cream, sandwiches & espresso bar

111 N, Eighth St., Atchison, Kan., (913) 367-0298

When you're shopping in Atchison, Kan., perhaps searching for ideas at Nell Hills (Mary Carol Garrity's legendary decorating store) consider taking a break at Snow Ball for ice cream, sandwiches and their espresso bar. It's a bit off the beaten path, but not much. Just a quick three-block walk from Fifth Street and you will be rewarded with incredible frozen coffees, fruit smoothies and all manners of Blue Bell ice cream concoctions, including the largest banana split in Kansas, weighing in at 2 pounds. There are a soup of the day and sandwiches, including ranch chicken on toasted ciabatta, a turkey delight, roast beef, ham salad and their most popular: chicken salad on a croissant. All sandwiches can be turned into wraps, says owner Albert Valdez. And they have breakfast sandwiches on croissants or English muffins from 7 to 10 a.m. After you are revived, make sure to take a step through the French doors to Willow Brook, an 1,800-square-foot decorating showroom with even more ideas for your home. Snow Ball also is the place to go after attending one of the shows at Theatre Atchison. Snow Ball stays open until 11 p.m. on such nights to accommodate the after-show hungries. If it sounds like Snow Ball is open all the time, it almost is. The hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Fridays; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays; and 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays.