A colorful “Ice Cream” banner helps to promote “After Hours Scoops” at Art Cafe on Rt. 378. The Lower Saucon Township eatery will transform into an ice cream shop on weekends into October to help satisfy local demand for frozen treats.
If you’re one of the thousands of people living along the Rt. 378 corridor in Lower Saucon Township, you probably already know that when it comes to hand-dipped ice cream treats, the pickings are fairly slim unless you’re willing to drive at least a few miles away.
That’s about to change thanks to Ann Takacs, who owns Art Cafe in the Black River Plaza.
Takacs is preparing to turn her popular breakfast-and-lunch spot into an ice cream shop called “After Hours Scoops” beginning Friday, Aug. 12. The cafe-turned-ice-creamery will be open Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 9 p.m. into October.
Takacs said she was motivated to enter the ice cream business for the same reason she and her husband entered the cafe business six years ago, when they opened Art Cafe.
At the time there wasn’t a casual place to enjoy a morning or afternoon meal, cafe-style, along the busy Rt. 378 corridor between Center Valley and Bethlehem.
Takacs said that it’s also been lacking a place to stop in for a frozen treat, particularly at night and on weekends, when Art Cafe is normally closed.
“We’re just trying to get some new faces,” she said.
Banana splits will be on the menu at After Hours Scoops at Art Cafe in Lower Saucon Township. The popular cafe will transform into an ice cream parlor every Friday, Saturday and Sunday starting this Friday, Aug. 13.
The menu for After Hours Scoops includes ice cream flavors of the week, a variety of sundaes, banana splits, milkshakes, floats, a variety of toppings and beverages.
Types of sundae will include a Brownie Bowl sundae, a Toll House Cookie Bowl sundae and a Mini Waffle sundae. Guests will also be able to create their own sundae with two scoops of ice cream and three toppings of their choice (all sundaes come with whipped cream and a cherry on top).
Takacs said she has talked about marketing her new venture with a nearby business, Nick’s BBQ, which is located about 100 feet away at the Se-Wy-Co fire station on Rt. 378, and is also open on weekends.
To learn more about After Hours Scoops, follow Art Cafe on Facebook.
