Iconic Capital Region Ice Cream Shop Isn’t Open – What’s the Scoop?

A Great Day for Ice Cream

Tuesday was a nice, sunny mid-April day in the Capital Region, and I was trying my best to soak up every last bit of Vitamin D before the sun went down.

After spending a few hours outdoors with my son Brody and some friends, he and I wanted to make a quick trip to a popular spot for food and ice cream only to learn that it was unexpectedly closed.

Where Was Everyone?

Normally, on a warm Spring day in the Capital Region, Jim's Tastee Freez in Delmar would be crowded with families looking to grab a quick bite to eat and one of their delicious cones.

But, when we got close enough to Jim's, I thought something was unusual since there were no cars in the parking lot or customers in the service line.  Thinking that we got a little lucky and arrived before the dinner and dessert crowd, we were both disappointed to learn that they simply weren't open, despite signage suggesting otherwise.

What Happened at Jim's Tastee Freez?

After doing a little digging, I got the scoop.  I learned that they had a roof leak back in the middle of March, and closed down temporarily for some additional repairs telling their patrons they'd be re-opened "next week".

That was a month ago, and they've yet to reopen.  I wasn't the only one wondering what's up at Jim's Tastee Freez, others have admitted that they drive by it frequently, hoping to see that familiar sign lit up so they may satisfy their sweet craving.

I even gave them a call, in hopes of finding out more, only to hear a recorded voicemail message from an operator explaining that "the called party is temporarily unavailable."

Established as Jim's Tastee Freez in 1980, this iconic mom-and-pop has been scooping up tasty treats and delicious hot dogs in the Delmar, Bethlehem, and great Albany County area for decades.

Could They Re-Open on Friday?

Over the weekend, a Facebook post from Bethlehem Local News and Events posted a message from their owners who explained the situation. In the message, they stated that "this Spring has (surely) brought its fair share of weather challenges with the latest being our fan/compressor seizing up in the ice storm and failing last week. The new projected opening date (is) this Friday (April 19th) but it's unofficial until all equipment is running perfectly. Stay tuned and thank you for your patience. We love our neighbors!"

As warmer weather and everyone's favorite season Summer approaches, we only hope they open up soon to carry out their longstanding tradition.