East Islip, NY — For over five decades, the Ernst family has been serving up sweet treats from their unassuming shop at 195 Carleton Ave. in East Islip. But now, Pamala Ernst-Annunziato, the heart and soul behind Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe, has decided it’s time to retire. Her final day behind the counter will be Tuesday, Jan. 14, marking the end of an era for the beloved local institution.
The business has been sold, and while the new owners plan to continue operating the space as an ice cream shop, the future of the name “Pam’s” remains uncertain. “They’ve been going back and forth on that,” Ernst-Annunziato told Greater Long Island.
For Ernst-Annunziato, the decision to retire was not an easy one, but her body made it clear. “My knees are shot,” she said with a laugh. Still, stepping away from the shop she’s called home for 54 years is bittersweet. “Letting go is hard,” she admitted.
The shop’s roots trace back to the 1970s, when her parents first opened it as a Carvel franchise. In 1985, Pamala and her brother, John Ernst, took over the family business and rebranded it as Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe. “We grew up in this store, with my parents,” she recalled. “And [John’s] been here with me.”
Though she now resides in Patchogue, Ernst-Annunziato plans to remain on Long Island, close to her children and grandchildren. As she prepares to close this chapter, she has a heartfelt message for the community that has supported her family for generations: “We’ll miss you.”
The shop’s loyal customers are feeling the loss too. Jen Pegollo and her family, longtime patrons of Pam’s, rushed to the shop when they heard the news. “We literally ran down here,” Pegollo said. The family snapped a selfie with Ernst-Annunziato to commemorate the cherished memories made at Pam’s.
As the doors close on Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe, the community will undoubtedly remember the sweet moments and the family that made it all possible. For Ernst-Annunziato, it’s a well-deserved retirement, but for East Islip, it’s the end of a beloved tradition.
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