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A national chain known for its homemade Italian Ice and ice cream is opening its first regional franchise this weekend in Forks Township.
Uncle Louie G at noon Saturday plans to grand open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Sullivan Trail Shopping Center, 1700 Sullivan Trail. It’s moving into space that previously occupied a mattress shop. The shopping center also is home to Dollar Tree, Nicolosi’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, Unity Bank, Miss Karen’s Dance Studio and Gift Box Floral. It sits next to the popular Park Plaza at Sullivan Trail.
The Brooklyn, New York-based chain began operating more than 25 years ago and started franchising in 2009. Today, the company has more than 50 locations in about eight states. The Lehigh Valley site also will become the chain’s first Pennsylvania location, according to its website.
Franchise owner Anthony Freeman, 43, is a native New Yorker who moved to Forks in 2009. In his youth, there weren’t many chains serving up cool treats. Children, he said, mostly got their Italian ice and ice cream from mom-and-pop establishments.
Later, Uncle Louie G became a New York fixture. Freeman quickly noticed neighborhood children carrying the signature white-and-blue striped cups with the Louie G character on it. “Louie G” is named after chain president and CEO Dino Russo’s uncle, who grew up in Italy, according to a Forbes report.
Freeman says the chain’s tagline is, “Feel Like A Kid Again!” That nostalgia is what led Freeman to open his own franchise and bring similar frozen treats to his new hometown of Forks.
“The instant I moved to PA, I would ask around about where I can get the best of everything,” Freeman said. “Coming from New York, my wife and I wanted to know where we can find the best pizza, bagels, bread, Chinese, and one of my favorites — Italian ices. I grew up on Italian ices from the local pizzeria or from the local ice cream place in my neighborhood — there was none of that here.”
There’s just something about Uncle Louie G, Freeman said.
It’s outlasted most of the frozen yogurt fads that came and went. There’s other competitors like Rita’s Water Ice, but Uncle Louie sets it apart with unique, hard-to-find flavors. When folks hear “chain,” Freeman said, they might think McDonalds or Chik-Fil-A. That’s also not Uncle Louie G, in which its roots were family-operated with franchises spun off by a close-knit group of family friends.
“I think it’s the choice of flavors and the taste that keeps people coming back,” Freeman said, noting all ingredients are freshly made and nothing is processed. “It tastes just like you just made it at home.”
The Forks location will offer 45 different flavors of Italian ice. There’s traditional flavors, like cherry, blue raspberry, watermelon and lemon. But then there’s the more unique. Think graham cracker and spumoni. The same goes with the list of 35 rotating ice cream choices, with some of the more unique flavors being apple pie, bubble gum and Brooklyn cheesecake.
The menu is static, meaning no seasonal flavors. Cups range in size small, medium and large, along with cones and waffle bowls. Toppings include rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, hot fudge, caramel sauce or chocolate sauce. There’s future plans to add various sundaes to the menu.
Additionally, there’s milkshakes, slushies and old-fashion “egg cream.” The egg cream was a must for Freeman, in which he said he wanted to bring a little bit of his Brooklyn roots to the Lehigh Valley.
Freeman wanted to make placing and picking up orders as smooth as possible for patrons. He constructed two walk-up windows on each side of the storefront. One window will be for placing orders while the other, will be for picking up.
“We wanted to set it up in a way that there will not be any confusion at the same window for someone ordering and picking up at the same time,” Freeman said. “It gets too crowded and inconvenient for the customers that way.”
There’s no seating at the Forks location to dine-in; however, there’s nearby public park seating. There’s additional plans to get involved in the community by hosting events and fundraisers at the new store.
Freeman is not sure yet if the Forks location will operate year-round or temporarily close during the winter. Unlike other chains that close in colder months, Uncle Louie G makes ice cream and Italian ice year-round due to its warmer locations in Florida and Texas. Stores, Freeman said, do have access to products year-round.
The decision likely will rest in the demand in patronage.
“If lines are down the block, I’m obviously not closing,” Freeman said. “Even in the snow.”
Entrepreneurship also is in Freeman’s roots.
He earned a degree in business administration with a concentration in management from Wagner College in Staten Island. From there, he went on to spend nearly 15 years overseeing his family’s business, Spartan Embroidery, in Staten Island. Clients include area schools and well-known businesses, as well as individuals.
Freeman’s parents, Don and Nina, however, took over the Spartan Embroidery reins when he approached them earlier this year and told them he wanted to launch his own venture.
Freeman now has his eye on even more Louie G locations across the Lehigh Valley. He’s scoping out at three other possible future locations in Bethlehem, Allentown and Upper Saucon. There are plans next year to also launch an Uncle Louie G food truck at such major regional festivals as Musikfest and Bacon Fest.
Hours of the Forks Township location plan to be from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday; noon to 9 p.m. Monday to Thursday; and noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Some hours, however, might fluctuate depending on demand, Freeman said.
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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
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