While June 20 is the official first day of summer, Main Street's owner Gio Chiarelli said summer began April 15 in Smithtown when he opened his doors for business.
“I just would like a lot of people to come and see what we have,” Chiarelli said of his goals for the upcoming season. “We have a great product and we’re family run so we have good people behind the counter. Maybe we could help get into people’s homes and backyards and help them celebrate their parties with them.”
Getting into the homes of locals and helping out with parties is what Chiarelli will shoot for this season, using his portable cart of ices to cater more events including anything from birthday parties to corporate events, local runs and more. For the cart there is typically a per-person charge, which is usually $3 a person.
The Uncle Louie G carts are also available for fundraisers, Chiarelli said.
Although known for the italian ices, this location also serves 24 flavors of ice cream as well as shakes and sundaes. Tuesday is “band day” at the location and anyone with a blue Uncle Louie G band could get an ice regularly $2.25 for just $1. For the 55-and-up crowd Wednesday is your day as the Tuesday’s deal applies to you.
If you’re looking for new flavors to try Chiarelli is quick to recommend the chocolate jelly ring, while one of his three sons, Vincent, would do his best to sell you on watermelon.
While this season is fresh and new, the season came to an end early last year for Chiarelli as the Town of Smithtown was , the site of a former car dealership.
The town’s chief building inspector Bill White told Smithtown Patch back in January that the demolition project at the location has been underway since 2008. Plans were filed with town's building department for a masonry retail store to take the location over.
“We had to close early last season because they were ordered to turn off all the electric in order for the town to go forward with the construction … the construction got delayed, I don’t know what the exact reason is, but it might not happen until July or August,” he said.
Chiarelli said he hopes the demolition project happens later rather than sooner, but if it were to happen during the summer the town told him he should be able to open as scheduled the next year.
While the demolition would normally not interfere with the shop’s regular seasonal opening, Chiarelli said he would to like to make Uncle Louie G a year-round business.
Uncle Louie G is currently operating under hours based on much of the clientele still being in school – Monday from 3-10 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 1-10 p.m., Friday from 1-11 p.m., Saturday from 12-11 p.m. and Sunday from 12-10 p.m.
After May 15 the location will be open from 12-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 12-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 12-10 p.m. on Sunday.
