LUZERNE COUNTY, PA — As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, fall is settling in, ushering in a season of change and festivities. For Goodfellas Ice Cream in Hazle Township, this transition marks the bittersweet end of another successful summer.
The popular ice cream shop will close its doors for the winter season this Sunday night, bringing a close to months filled with families enjoying their favorite frozen treats.
Owner Joe Curcio, who purchased the business in 2009, reflects on the emotional weight of the closure. “It’s sad. It’s the end of summer officially for me and the end of business, but I’m looking forward to the time off as well,” Curcio said.
Curcio, who has been closing for the winter months for 15 years, finds joy in the daily interactions with customers. “I enjoy working every day. I enjoy waiting on the customers. Of course, when you run a business, you want to make money, so you miss the revenue as well, but it comes with the territory,” he added.
Customers will also feel the absence of Goodfellas during the colder months. Regular patron Jose Menna, who stops by weekly for a strawberry cheesecake milkshake, expressed his mixed feelings. “I feel like it’s going to be better on my pocket, but at the same time, I’m going to miss it because this is the best spot ever. There’s no other ice cream shop around here or in Wilkes-Barre that I like. This is the best one,” Menna shared.
As the community bids farewell to summer, the ice cream shop will be sorely missed until it reopens in the spring.
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