Mister Softee opening brick-and-mortar shop in East Islip
A Mister Softee sign has gone up in East Islip in the former Pam's Ice Cream Shoppe. Credit: Newsday / Melissa Azofeifa
Long Islanders no longer needs to listen for the familiar jingle of a Mister Softee truck rolling down the street to get some of its signature soft serve ice cream: a Mister Softee location has opened in East Islip in the former Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe.
New owner Jimmy Ilya opened the store March 1. Ilya has operated Mister Softee trucks in the Hamptons since 2007. He was inspired to open a Long Island brick-and-mortar franchise after visiting one in Westchester two years ago.
Guests are able to choose from around 40 flavors of hard ice cream. As for their soft serve, the options are pistachio, strawberry, vanilla and chocolate. Ilya also serves crepes with fruit on the side.
Pam’s Ice Cream Shoppe owner Pamela Earnst-Annunziato, an East Islip native, put down her ice cream scoop for the last time Jan. 15, retiring after more than 40 years from the store at 195 Carleton Ave. Serving ice cream to the community has long been a family affair for Earnst-Annunziato, whose parents opened a Carvel franchise in the same location in 1970. Earnst-Annunziato and her brother took over in 1985. The business was sold in January, she said, and its destiny to become Long Island's first brick-and-mortar Mister Softee shop is fine by her, although she already misses her customers.
Mister Softee, 195 Carleton Ave., East Islip, mistersoftee.com. Beginning March 1, it will be open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
