Coyle's Ice Cream expanding to Lindenhurst

It’s going to be a busy spring and summer for Quadir Russell and Michael Khoury, and not just because this is high season for the two Coyle’s Ice Cream shops, in Bay Shore and Islip, that they bought in 2023. In the coming weeks they will be opening an outpost in Lindenhurst, a collaboration with Gemelli Gourmet Market North of Glen Head. Around the same time, they’ll start construction on a new Islip store that will be almost three times the size of the original.

Coyle’s is one of Long Island’s most venerable homemade ice cream parlors. Bay Shore was founded by Marty and Janice Coyle in 1985; the couple opened Islip in 2007. In 2017, they sold both stores to Kathy Manzione and John Proto.

It was during the Manzione-Proto era that Russell came to know and love Coyle’s: He grew up in North Babylon, patronizing the Islip shop for as long as he could remember. The 2022 graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute had worked as an engineer at IBM before embarking on a career as an entrepreneur. "I always wanted my own business," he recalled. "Even when I was a kid, I didn’t just shovel snow — I recruited other kids in the neighborhood and would assign them to this driveway or that driveway."

He and Khoury were already partners at Pickleball Xpress in Islip when he was contacted by a business broker about two ice South Shore cream stores that were for sale. "He didn’t even have to tell me the name," Russell said, "I jumped."

When they took over, the partners had no desire to change Coyle’s ice cream production, but they did add a few flavors such as strawberry crunch and toasted almond, both of which are inspired by Good Humor bars. They beefed up social media to reach a younger audience. And they doubled down on community involvement, instituting a "student of the month" program wherein fifth graders from Brentwood and Bay Shore are nominated by their respective schools for excellence in leadership, academics and behavior and, in turn, are honored by a free sundae and a certificate of recognition from the Suffolk County Police Department.

It was Khoury who made the connection with the Gemelli group that is opening a satellite on South Wellwood Avenue in Lindenhurst. He’s married to Alessia Schutz, whose grandmother Gelsomina Cosentino established Gemelli Fine Foods and Ristorante Gemelli in Babylon. Gemelli of Glen Head, est. 2016, is owned by Alessia’s parents, Robert and Patrizia Schutz, and her siblings, Marc and Adriana Schutz. Coyle’s will occupy about 600 square feet of the 1800-square-foot space.

While the Lindenhurst location is too small for ice cream production, Russell and Khoury are planning a new kitchen for their new space in Islip. They’ve signed a lease to take over Nevica Salon, which is a few doors down from their existing shop. The 2,800-square-foot space will not only accommodate about 50 customers, but the kitchen will be fully visible from the dining room and will be available to host parties and classes.

Coyle’s, opening soon at 189 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst. Other locations at 75 Howells Rd., Bay Shore (631-666-2229) and 509 Main St., Islip (631-617-5014), coylesicecream.com. Open Monday 3 to 9 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday 1 to 9 p.m., Friday 1 to 10 p.m., Saturday noon to 10 p.m., Sunday noon to 9 p.m.