By Trent Modglin

Triple Scoop’d Ice Cream
801 Devon Avenue in Park Ridge
TripleScoopdIceCream.com

A popular ice cream shop… by accident

If you’re looking for a dream-come-true story, this isn’t the place. Triple Scoop’d came to be, actually, in part by accident. And a little by necessity.

For a dozen years or so, the building at 801 Devon had sat vacant, as the city, which was in favor of preserving street-facing retail opportunities, rejected multiple proposals. So when Jim Hanlon bought the building in 2019 and started the buildout to create an office space for his now former business, Post-Op Partners, the brainstorming began about what they could do with the front portion of the building to earn the necessary off-street parking exemption.

An ice cream shop came to mind, and once the idea passed the necessary hurdles with the city’s zoning board of appeals and city council, Jim reached out to a friend he grew up with in Edison Park who happens to own an ice cream shop in Wisconsin. The assumption was that this would be an ideal opportunity for the childhood pal to expand back into Illinois and sell a few cones as their tenant. Only problem was, turns out the friend wasn’t interested. At all. So naturally, Jim began wondering if he and his wife Nicole could pull it off themselves.

We have lots of attachments to people we never would have never met, and the community involvement and really connecting with people has been great.”  —  Jim Hanlon

“Nicole had absolutely zero interest in being the ice cream woman of Park Ridge,” Jim says with a laugh. “None whatsoever. I haven’t seen a look that stern since.”

At least these days he manages to get an acknowledging smile from Nicole as he tells the story.

“Some people do have a dream to run a certain business, but I wouldn’t say this was ever on our radar or a dream of ours,” Nicole says. “Obviously our children think it’s a dream though.”

“It has been fun, and it’s grown every year,” Jim adds. “We have lots of attachments to people we never would have never met, and the community involvement and really connecting with people has been great.”

Ice cream and much, much more

Triple Scoop’d generally offers 30 consistent flavors of Cappanari ice cream — a family-run, Chicago-area staple for two decades — with a few seasonal options like peaches and cream, mango, pumpkin and peppermint cycling in at different points of the calendar.

The variety ranges from old reliables like chocolate peanut butter cup, cookies & cream, mint chocolate chip and strawberry to some slightly more creative options like gooey brownie batter, Bordeaux cherry, coconut chip and even Mediterranean sea salt caramel with chocolate-covered pretzels. Can’t make up your mind? Try a flight and sample three or four flavors. Or spice things up a bit and add one of 21 different toppings like cheesecake bites, Reese’s Pieces, graham cracker crumbles, sprinkles, hot fudge, etc.

Shakes, malts, floats, sundaes, cookies, ice cream sandwiches, plus a wide variety of coffee are all available. To-go options include pints, cookie tray platters, ice cream pies and ice cream cakes. Party packs for a special occasion? Yep, those too.

Insider’s tip: If your kids haven’t tried “cosmic cookie” yet, beware. It’s been known to have addictive powers… and turns lips and tongues blue.

But the fun hardly stops there. Shakes, malts, floats, sundaes, cookies, ice cream sandwiches, plus a wide variety of coffee are all available. To-go options include pints, cookie tray platters, ice cream pies and ice cream cakes. Party packs for a special occasion? Yep, those too.

And one more thing my brother-in-law consistently takes credit for opening our eyes to — the affogato, which, if you aren’t aware, is an espresso poured over a cup of ice cream. And as decadent as it sounds.

Visitors from afar

Due to the proximity to O’Hare, it’s not uncommon for visitors from across the country to swing in for a cone or a sundae, especially if they’re staying in a hotel nearby. Folks from California and Hawaii recently, in fact.

Giving back

Triple Scoop’d is no stranger to giving back to the community. In late May, in fact, they were in the midst of their annual fundraiser for a dozen local schools, where over a three-week period, each school is assigned a specific day where it takes home 10 percent of the sales. Then at the end of the competition, the two top earners split a portion of the total proceeds. But it doesn’t stop there, as support for numerous parks, events, teams and charities like Have Dreams is a year-round endeavor for the Hanlons.

“One of our big things has always been the collaboration and the partnership with our community in general, and supporting the local schools and the kids has always been really important to us,” Nicole says. “And in turn, we’ve been very fortunate that everyone has welcomed and supported us along the way too.”

The Triple Scoop’d cart is everywhere

If you haven’t seen the Triple Scoop’d catering cart around town, you must not get out much, if at all. It’s a regular sight at everything from Maine South football games to Concerts in the Park and Park Ridge Pistols softball tournaments, not to mention available for rent at neighborhood block parties, birthday parties, even corporate events.

Mature beyond their years

Jim and Nicole estimate they employ more than 30 high school and college kids from the area, and are proud to boast a really high retention rate. One of their twin sons, Will, has really adopted the shop as his own. Going back to when he was just 7, they would often find him doing dishes, making change for customers and scooping ice cream.

“He’s 12 now and has become a perfectionist with the POS system and gives his Dad advice about why we shouldn’t change away from Toast based on his research,” Jim jokes.

It’s such a special feeling on a warm summer night to give people a chance to calm down from their busy lives and take a few moments to connect with each other.”  —  Nicole Hanlon

Final thoughts

Now five years into this endeavor — one in which, if you recall, they never imagined being involved initially — Jim and Nicole Hanlon couldn’t imagine life without Triple Scoop’d. For them or their three children. It’s become a comforting meeting place, a tradition of sorts, not to mention one of the more recognizable brands in town.

“I think I’m most proud of the acceptance of the community and how much they’ve given back to us,” Jim tells us. “They’ve supported us at every turn, and when he had our unfortunate break-in last December, it was incredible how many people came out to sign our door and how many reached out to us personally. A lot of people took the break-in personally… as personally as we did. Like it was partially their store as well. We always knew we were doing well because we could see it in the sales, but we never knew how important we’d become to the community.”

“I love seeing the smiling faces coming in the door and how excited the kids are when the come in to get ice cream,” Nicole adds. “I love when people come hang out because it’s their local corner spot. It’s such a special feeling on a warm summer night to give people a chance to calm down from their busy lives and take a few moments to connect with each other.”