Eleanor “Cookie” Rosenberg looked forward to annual family vacations.
She would relax in an Adirondack chair on the boardwalk at Rehoboth Beach and enjoy an ice cream cone.
“She loved it there,” said her grandson, Josh Helfer of Franklin Park. “She would call me the day after we came home from vacation every year and say ‘in 364 more days we will be going back to the beach.’”
Helfer created a 365-day at the beach in Ross in Rosenberg’s memory. He opened Cookie’s Creamery — an ice cream (and more sweet treats) shop — on April 9. Grandma’s image is visible in the logo. There are photos of grandma and the family throughout the store as well as pictures of elephants, her favorite animal.
“She was the matriarch,” said Helfer, who grew up in Squirrel Hill and lives in Franklin Park and owns a few Big Shot Bob’s House of Wings. “And we have so many great memories of vacations and eating ice cream with her. We wanted to create the feel of an old-time ice cream parlor with a beach motif. It’s pink and purple, and there will be Adirondack chairs out front.”
There are 40 flavors of Hershey’s Premium Gold hard ice cream, such as midnight caramel river and brown butter bourbon truffle, a few choices from the Penn State Creamery in University Park, two oat-based flavors and sugar free treats.
A single scoop is $3.75.
They have gluten-free cones, waffle cones in flavors such as cinnamon, dark chocolate, birthday cake and red velvet from The Konery in Brooklyn, N.Y.,
A cooler is filled with Red Ribbon soda from Natrona Bottling, Co.
When you walk in, you will smell the fresh baked cookies from the Good L’Oven Cookie Shop, bakery and deli, with locations in Ross and Bellevue. There’s chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, sugar, peanut butter and M&M. Helfer will purchase the pre-made dough and bake them in-house.
He was a customer at Good L’Oven Cookie Shop.
“We talked food and business and decided to partner,” said Deanna Soost, owner of the cookie shop. “He can do what he does well and I can do what I do well and it will work out well.”
Another collaboration is with candy creations from The Gourmet Chocolate Lady of Hopewell, Beaver County. Owner Sandra Hunter said it is important for local businesses to support each other and that ice cream is a perfect fit with chocolate.
“It’s definitely a win-win,” said Hunter, who creates items such as a gourmet chocolate pecan turtle apple.
Helfer is a father of four — Richie Morrison III, Jessica Bourke, Korey Helfer and Taylor Helfer. His children, his wife Kristie, and his parents Barb and Rick Helfer have all helped bring the store to life and honor Rosenberg’s memory.
“She was my best friend,” said Taylor Helfer. “I really want to be a part of this. It’s no ordinary shop, but we are not ordinary people.”
Korey Helfer said he is working on creating the perfect milkshake, starting with three scoops of ice cream and ¾ cup milk. They have wide straws because the milkshakes are so thick. They will also sell two scoop sundaes such as one with a cookie, ice cream, sauce and whipped cream or coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.
“I was so excited when it opened,” Korey Helfer said. “It’s a fun environment. This is an ideal job for me … ice cream.”
Cookie’s Creamery is located at 2199 Babcock Blvd. in Ross (across from Monte Cello’s Italian Restaurant).
Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
