Students looking for a frosty treat have a new place to indulge their craving this year.

A new Ben & Jerry’s mini-scoop ice cream stand has found a home on the upper level of the UCen next to the Information Center and across from the new FedEx Kinko’s. The stand opened on Sept. 20, and has enjoyed good business ever since, said the stand’s owner James Read. Read, who is also an actor, said the scoop station will remain a permanent fixture in the UCen as long as students support it.

The stand has 18 flavors, including favorites such as Cherry Garcia and Strawberry Kiwi. Prices for a cup or cone range from $2.50 for a small to $3.75 for a large. The ice cream shop also serves sundaes for $4.25.

Read said although there are no definite plans to move to a larger location in the UCen, he is open to the idea if space becomes available.

Read, who has appeared in such films as “Legally Blond 2” and “Not Another Teen Movie,” as well as the television series “Charmed,” also owns a Ben & Jerry’s in Ventura. He said he decided to expand and open a second scoop shop at UCSB because of the student population.

“It’s a great way to introduce the Ben & Jerry’s culture to a college population,” he said.

Freshman political science major Sylvia Gevorkyan said the delicious taste of the ice cream and the convenient location prompted her to patronize the shop.

“It’s nice to have here in case you want a treat or something,” Gevorkyan said.

Ben & Jerry’s does more than sell ice cream, Read said. The company uses mostly recycled paper in its products’ packaging and has its own charitable organization, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, that dedicates 6 percent of its pre-tax product to children, families and to pro-environmental causes.

“Some of [the money] goes to literacy, reading programs and social work,” Read said. “They are always looking for different ways to support causes.”

Ben & Jerry’s makes yearly donations to charity of over $1.1 million each year according to its website.

The Ben & Jerry’s mini-scoop shop is open Monday to Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and accepts both cash and ACCESS cards.