New ownership scoops up PJ’s

MANTENO – If Tara Robinson is spotted walking along Manteno sidewalks this week doing some form of wrist exercises, do not be alarmed.

She is attempting to get in shape for what she hopes will be a busy first weekend at PJ’s Ice Cream in downtown Manteno, which is a new venture for her, but a favorite one for Manteno and nearby residents.

Robinson, of Peotone, is the new owner of PJ’s, 41 W. Second St., having purchased the business from recent owners, Brian and Tonya Hoots, who had operated the site since August 2017.

The site was initially opened by Rick and Paula Shelton in 2001. It was later taken over by Nick Carson and Michelle Furlan before the Hoots took over operations.

When it became clear the Hoots were ready to back away from scooping ice cream and creating chocolate shakes, Robinson recognized the frozen opportunity.

She wasn’t about to let it slip through her fingers even if she wasn’t exactly sure how the business functioned from the other side of the glass-enclosed freezers holding 40 flavors of Ashby’s Sterling Ice Cream, delivered to the site from its Aurora-based distribution facility.

The Manteno location typically has 52, 3-gallon containing on-hand flavors – ranging from the classics to Michigan Pot Hole (thick, black fudge in chocolate ice cream with chunks of chocolate “asphalt”) and Superman (fluorscent lemon yellow, strawberry red and bubble gum blue) ice cream – to chocolate, vanilla, butter pecan and most everything between.

“We had always said if it ever became available we would take a look. When it became available, we said ‘let’s do it,’ ” Robinson said.

The “we” referred to Tara and her husband, Bill. Bill, however, is largely a spectator when it comes to PJ’s. Bill works in the property restoration industry. He travels the country dealing with property owners post fire, flood, hurricane and tornado.

As a result, a large amount of his time is spent traveling.

So the operation of the 13-table, 45-seat PJ’s falls on Tara’s shoulders and in turn on the shoulders of her seasoned staff. Many of the 15 part-time employees have been behind PJ’s counter scooping ice cream.

The staff has assured Tara she is in good hands and in a reversal of roles, they will teach her the ice cream scooping business.

Community staple

Manteno Mayor Tim Nugent has not yet met the newest PJ’s owner. He plans on the encounter soon as the location opens Friday.

He is pleased the site is in the heart of the Square on Second.

He said the ice cream shop just fits hand in glove with this quaint small-town setting.

“PJ’s has been a staple. People hang out in this area for hours on summer evenings,” he said. “They take their golf carts out and head for ice cream. It’s more than just a business in town, it’s a destination.”

The shop, he said, helps make the Manteno area a summertime staple.

“It’s great it’s being taken over and kept as PJ’s,” Nugent said. “If it had closed, it would have really been a void.”

And while its not always easy to make such a business decision, he is pleased she sees what opportunities there are in the village.

Surprisingly, Robinson is not a Manteno native. She is from just up Illinois Route 50. She is a Peotone resident. She’s also a member of the Peotone High School Class of 1989.

The mother of three’s youngest daughter, Olivia, 16, is a sophomore at Peotone High. She will also be one of the PJ’s part-time staffers.

Beginning Friday, PJ’s will be open from 4-9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After Memorial Day weekend, the shop will be open from 1-9 p.m. daily.

At this point, Robinson is not yet sure when ice cream season will conclude. That question will be answered at a later date.

First things first, she has to figure out ice cream scooping techniques and serving customers in as speedy and gracious fashion as possible.

This shop is also her first venture into the business world.

“I’m doing this on my own,” she said. “I’m a little nervous, I’ll be honest. As the opening gets closer I get a little more nervous. Everyone says things will be fine.”

As long as, she says, the freezers keep the ice cream frozen.

“What better job can there be than owning an ice cream shop?” she asked.

While not entirely well-versed on ice cream scooping or malt making, there was always one thing very clear in Robinson’s mind. The location’s name would remain PJ’s.

“This place had to stay PJ’s,” she said. ”It has to stay the ice cream shop.”

Robinson has signed a lease, hoping this will be her place for years to come.

So what ice cream is Robinson’s choice? Rainbow sherbet and peanut butter chocolate.

“It goes together for me,” she said. “That’s the beauty of ice cream.”