At his new ice cream shop, Jesse Pruchnik serves cones, shakes and sundaes with a beaming smile.
“What can I get for you today?” he asked Xavier Stauder, 6, on a recent evening.
The little boy picked sprinkles and M&Ms to top his soft-serve, choosing from a display of goodies under the counter. His own smile widened.
“We’ve been here quite a few times already,” said his mother, Sabrina Stauer, of the shop on Main Street in New Milford. “I love how bright and clean it is.”
At a counter facing the front window, two families were enjoying their own cups and cones. Ariella, 3, savored a drippy vanilla cone; a baby named Kaida licked a spoonful of chocolate, with help from her big brother, Bryant.
“It’s good,” Ariella said, enthusiastically nodding her head.
The shop at 7 Main St. is tucked between Nordica Toys and Al Dente restaurant. It was formerly known as Tasty Waves; that business closed two years ago. When Pruchnik heard about the available space, he jumped at the opportunity.
From ice cream trucks to shop
“I wasn’t planning to have a brick-and-mortar place, but you can’t beat the location,” he said.
The 21-year-old, a New Milford High School graduate, runs the business with his parents, Stephanie and Frank Pruchnik; siblings Sal Longo and Amber Longo; and girlfriend Meredith Mooers.
Jesse Pruchnik has been serving ice cream to a growing customer base for about four years, running an ice cream truck at fairs, festivals, family parties and even weddings.
He got the first truck in 2021 from his cousin. Before that, he was working for T-Mobile and Kohl’s.
“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after I graduated from New Milford (High School) so I was doing a couple different jobs, plus the ice cream truck,” he said.
First, it was called Jason’s Ice Cream, Pruchnik said. “My cousin wanted out of it, and I thought, this could be a great business. So I started with that and made it Jesse’s Ice Cream.”
He added a second vehicle, the “Scoop Truck” in 2024.
“Honestly, the trucks keep us very busy,” Pruchnik said. “The crew is me, my mom and dad, sister, girlfriend, and occasionally my brother. Everyone steps up to help. We couldn’t do it without each other.”
“We’re bouncing back and forth between the trucks and the shop now,” he said.
Jesse’s Ice Cream opened in early April, with a grand opening May 2. The interior of the ice cream business was already outfitted with counters, equipment, self-serve stations and furniture, so the Pruchniks simply worked with what they had.
They’re making their own ice cream now and expanding their list of popular flavors. Right now, people are craving cookies and cream, mint chocolate chip, and strawberry, the Pruchniks said.
The shop offers 6 to 8 varieties of ice cream daily, along with shakes, sodas, floats, smoothies and sundaes, as well as hot and cold coffee drinks. Toppings are plentiful and very popular.
Pruchnik’s mom, Stephanie, recently retired from a 26-year career as a pediatric nurse. As she scrubbed counters and cleaned a blender, she said, “It’s different, but the same.”
“You just figure out what people want and try to give them the best,” she said with a smile. “It’s about helping people out.”
Waiting on people daily can be a mental challenge, Jesse noted.
“It’s a mental and physical drain, but in a good way,” he said. “The success of an ice cream business, for me, has to be consistency, and you need to be personable and have support. We all work to do that.”
Frank Pruchnik is a retired cabinet maker whose skills are invaluable, according to his son.
-
Choices abound at Jesse Pruchnik’s ice cream business
“He can fix anything, figure anything out,” Jesse Pruchnik said. “He’s on board with the trucks and the shop. We take care of the trucks ourselves.”
New Milford has several other ice cream shops in town, including franchises and smaller stores. But Jesse Pruchnik isn’t worried about competition.
“I think we’ll be OK,” the young entrepreneur said. “I’ll be curious to see if (the ice cream shop) will withstand the economy. I’m happy with the foot traffic we’re getting, and the feedback. People are curious and once they come in, they’re happy.”
Customers get a $5 credit for every $50 they spend at the shop.
“Some of our customers have already cashed in their rewards several times,” Stephanie Pruchnik said. “We haven’t even been open that long.”
“We’re using a texting system, so we alert them when they’ve earned a reward,” her son said. “People love that.”
Pruchnik wants to be sure his customers let him know if they’re ever disappointed with his service or ice cream.
“If someone’s disappointed, they just won’t come back,” he said. “I like feedback. I hope people will give that to us … we can make it better. I want that.”
“Well, it won’t be for lack of trying,” said Frank Pruchnik. “This has brought the family together.”
To reach Jesse’s Ice Cream, call 203-994-1145, visit new ice cream shop or email Jessesicecream@icloud.com
