Scoops N Cones sign (Scoops N Cones Facebook)
Popular Saint John ice cream trailer Scoops N Cones will open a permanent and expanded east Saint John location by the end of June.
“We’ve been working very diligently for about the past six weeks,” says co-owner Linda Robichaud. “Everything’s coming together really, we’re on the homestretch.”
Scoops opened two years ago, first operating its seasonal ice cream business out of a revamped trailer on the city’s west side. Robichaud and partner Kim Beckett wanted Scoops to have a permanent, year-round home base and offer a food menu alongside their ice cream, which led them on a search for a suitable location.
“We were looking for a location west because we live west as well, but choices were few and far between, as far as looking for something that had everything there,” said Robichaud, adding they found the 61 Bayside Drive location, (formerly the Downhome Diner) when they were on a drive.
“I grew up on Bayside Drive and I remember The Big Scoop where I used to go very frequently with my friends to get some ice cream treats and stuff – this will bring me back to my childhood, sort of, because we wanted to make a big presence on Bayside Drive.”
Scoops N Cones in-progress interior (Scoops N Cones Facebook)
Scoops N Cones sells 22 flavours of hard ice cream, including two gluten-free, dairy-free sorbet options, and classic desserts such as its signature Banana Splitsville, root beer floats and freshly squeezed lemonade.
“We’re serving burgers, we’re serving poutine, chili dishes, we have curly fries and other items like onion rings chicken nuggets and specialty burgers,” she said. “We’re also going to be creating some new dishes as time goes on and possibly offering some live specials once we get going right and get all the bugs worked out.”
Customers can continue racking up points on their ice cream rewards cards, introduced last year, and Scoops will also introduce a food rewards card.
Scoops will be open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11AM-8PM and will begin operating in a take-out capacity. Robichaud adds they will potentially introduce sit-down seating, depending on how New Brunswick approaches reopening the province.
Robichaud and Beckett are keeping their customers up to date about Scoops’ progress with a steady stream of photos and updates on their Facebook page, including highlights of graphics done by local artist, Kadi Oram.
“We want to create a really inviting family atmosphere for people to come and have an ice cream shop feel, and to be able to offer food as well,” said Robichaud.
This story was originally published on Huddle.Today – an Acadia Broadcasting Limited content partner.
