PHOTO PROVIDED Faddies Ice Cream & Pizza can be found at 348 Broad St., Montoursville.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about the closure of many businesses, but for one Montoursville business, it served as an opportunity for transformation.

“My wife used to have Tanya’s Bridal Shop here, but when the pandemic hit, that kind of wiped that out,” said Jay Rice, owner of Faddies Ice Cream & Pizza, 348 Broad St, Montoursville.

“Our number one dress seller that we had for 25 years closed and when that happened, the writing was on the wall, and we figured we didn’t want to start all over again,” Rice explained.

“And that’s when Faddies really came alive,” he added.

The space had also been home to Dance Plus, with Faddies, then known as Tanya’s Ice Cream, situated in a horseshoe-shaped area in the back of the building.

The ice cream side of the business came about after another local ice cream shop closed up, leaving a void Rice was happy to fill, though his origins within the industry go back much further.

“When I was younger, I used to carry ice cream for the Little League World Series, and that’s how I made my money in the summer,” he explained.

“I always said I was going to open an ice cream shop one day, and we started out very small, but as the years came along, it grew and grew,” Rice said.

Today, Faddies is instantly recognizable by its vibrant blue and green colors and penguin mascot, and offers 55 flavors of hard serve and 24 varieties of soft serve flavors from a variety of suppliers, including Sunset Ice Cream.

“We can make over 100 different milkshakes. Anything you want, if you come through the door and just ask for it, we can make it. My wife makes freak shakes, which are a popular thing, and she would do them for movies coming out and things like that,” Rice said.

“I can get any kind of flavor, any kind of treat, you name it,” he said, adding that the shop also carries Italian ice, Dippin’ Dots and much more.

“I go to expos and seminars because I want to stay on top of everything for the ice cream side,” he said.

Even with such a variety of flavors, Rice said his biggest sellers remain what he considers to be “comfort food,” including anything peanut butter, along with cookies and cream and salted caramel truffle.

“We have a lot of people that have a go-to because they’re used to it, and I just tell them, ‘come back 55 times and try every flavor, and find what you like,” Rice said.

While famous for their ice cream, Faddies is equally known for their pizza, which came about after Jay attended an expo where pizza was being made.

“It’s a top seller for me, and our pizza is really good,” Rice said, stressing that that assessment is not only his own, but that of his customers.

“We make our own dough, our own sauce, and everything is made right here in house,” he said.

Faddies offers a variety of pizza options, ranging from traditional cheese and pepperoni to Buffalo Chicken, Dill Pickle, Cheddar Bacon and more.

While they don’t serve by-the-slice portions at the shop until summertime, Rice said an excellent place to try out the different options without the commitment of a full pizza is at their food truck.

Although primarily known for pizza and ice cream, Faddies boasts an expansive menu, including French fries, cauliflower- based items, garlic knots, strombolis, subs, sandwiches, acai bowls and much more.

“Another good one is our chopped sub because everything gets put chopped up together, so every time you bite into it, you taste everything,” Rice said, adding that new additions to the menu are always in the works.

“When I try new stuff, it goes through me, my wife, all my kids, my friends, and family. And I have customer friends that I’ll say, ‘here, try this out,’ and they give me their honest opinion,” he said.

“That’s the way we proceeded with a lot of our stuff, because the simple fact is, I want to be able to serve a good product at a reasonable price and maintain a very good customer base,” said Rice, who also aims for a family-friendly environment.

“We have two pool tables, we have skee-ball, air hockey, a basketball hoop, and then we have a couple pinball machines, so when people come in here, they can come and get their ice cream, they can sit down, and the adults talk and the kids play,” he said, adding that the pool tables have been a welcomed addition following the demise of Monoski’s Billiards.

“And the parents love it too. They’re big kids. I have an older gentleman, probably in his early 80’s, and he rides the motorcycle,” Rice added.

“It’s knee high to a grasshopper up to 90 years old,” he said.

Future plans include the addition of more pool tables with an eye towards hosting tournaments for the kids.

Rice also stressed that while he focuses on customer satisfaction, the greater community is always in the back of his mind.

“We just did a teacher appreciation day, where we offered 25 pizzas to whatever school got the most votes on our Facebook page,” he explained, with Donald E. Schick Elementary taking home the top prize.

Faddies is also involved with wrestling, Pop Warner and Friday night football games at Loyalsock Township and wrestling at South Williamsport and Montoursville.

“I make pizzas for them, and I sell them to them at a cheap price, so their concession stands make more money,” Rice explained.

Additionally, Rice sponsors little league teams out of Montoursville, South Williamsport and Williamsport.

Asked what has helped Faddies to continue to stand out in a sea of eateries, Rice said listening to his customers and providing consistency has been key.

“That’s what really made Faddies – the customers. If it wasn’t for all the customers, Faddies wouldn’t be here,” he said, adding that when he and his wife retires, the business will live on through his family.

“I’m teaching them everything that I do, so there won’t be any drop in quality. When I go on vacation, people don’t even know I’m not here. Consistency is there for everything,” he said.

“I always just tell people to give us a try, and let us know what you think,” Rice said.

“Once I get you to try us, especially the pizza, you’re gonna want it from that point forward. I guarantee it. There’s no question about that,” he said, adding that he doesn’t do heavy advertising, as he prefers word of mouth to get the job done.

“We like our customers to be our fireworks,” he said.

“I just try to serve the community. That’s where it’s at for me,” Rice said.

For a glance at all that Faddies Ice Cream and Pizza has to offer, please visit www.faddiesicecreamandpizza.com or find them across social media.