Can you remember some of your first jobs? When I was a teenager, my summer job searches always seemed to lead me to ice cream shops. Maybe it was my love of mint chocolate chip that did the leading, but there always seemed to be “Help Wanted” signs in the windows.
My first gig was at a restaurant-slash-ice-cream-shop run by owners of a local dairy farm. They served full dinners, but it was their desserts that really drew in the crowds. There was homemade ice cream (but you knew that), and there was pie baked fresh each morning by the dairy farm’s matriarch herself. Granted, this woman’s cherry custard was to die for, but even so, she was over-the-top when it came to regulating the cutting of her pies. Each slice had to be perfect. No crust could crumble. There were only a select few who were allowed to slice, and I was not among them.
No offense taken. I was free to scoop the ice cream (or swirl, in the case of the soft-serve stuff) as I wanted. Well, within reason. A “small” had to be served in a small-sized cup, and a “single dip” had to be just one dip. I stuck to the official one dip (on top) rule, but I also regularly exercised my right to backfill each cone with a bit of ice cream before perching that single dip on top. Hey, I had sound reasoning: That little bit in the cone gave the scoop something to stick to, so fewer kids wound up with their ice cream toppling onto the tile floor.
I also developed a knack for scraping the ice cream from the edge of the tub toward the center, going around and around in a flower pattern. The result was ginormous—far larger than I could have made by taking a single swipe through the tub. (But it was still one dip, technically.) The payoff came when I handed that gift of ice cream over to the waiting customer. Wide smiles and eyes, sometimes even a “whoa!” I felt like Robin Hood, disguised in a frilled green polyester apron. It was a good job, and I kept it until I went away to college.
During winter break, it was back to ice cream. I got a job at an ice-cream joint at the mall this time. It was part of a nationwide chain and serving ice cream there was serious business—standardized menus, outfits, training, and serving sizes. In fact, we were instructed to weigh each scoop (in full view of the customer). The theory: No customer would feel slighted. But, actually, it just made for a longer wait time. We had to scurry back and forth between freezer and scale—adding a little or, too often, removing a little. (And who wants to see their cone made smaller?!)
I really tried to learn to eyeball the serving sizes perfectly. But I could never get it quite right. So I decided I’d try to make each scoop a bit smaller than I thought it “should be” so that at least I could add to it instead of take away. The best moments of the day came when the manager was in his office—all of us behind the counter would bypass the scale entirely. We didn’t even eyeball the serving sizes much. We just scooped and served as quickly as possible. There were no long lines. No long waits. And no long faces of children watching a twentysomething in a brown apron downsize their medium-sized cone to regulation weight.
In the end, the mall store—and the whole chain—shut down. But that mom-and-pop dairy joint is still in full swing. In fact, they remodeled the interior and added a huge deck. My theory is that their success isn’t just because their ice cream is a bit better than that chain’s, but because they know that the best things in life just can’t be measured on a scale. (Imagine that!)
Today, Laura Quaglio only scoops ice cream for private parties—namely her husband and two kids, ages 12 and 9—though she still enjoys showing off her soft-serve swirling skills at the local all-you-can-eat buffet. She also makes frequent summertime stops at her first job site to savor fond memories…and a big scoop of homemade vanilla peanut butter ice cream on a sugar cone.
Comments from Members
That is a "dream" job for teens. I remember when I was little and wanted to be the "ice cream lady" or the "donut lady". 
When possible, I try to patronize the mom and pop places. There's something about seeing the owners working there and their appreciation for your business. Same goes for farmers markets.
I would love to work in an ice cream shop. Thanks for the inspiring story, it was a great read.
More people should buy from mom and pop shops becaue that is what America is all about.
I too worked at a family owned dariy/grill. Our hotdogs fried in the deep fryer were the best, espically at closing time when you were dead tired. Hamburgers, fish sandwichs, hotdogs, ice cream sundaes....we did it all thur two tiny walk up windows. Oh, for the good ole days again, the building is now an insurance/car wash building.
I always wanted to work in an ice cream shop. When I was younger I applied several times @ our local DQ store an never got hired I because I was overweight then and afraid I eat the profit, who knows. I only shop @ mom and pop stores now. Thanks for the great story it was great reading. 
I work at a snack kiosk in the our mall during high school that served ice cream, italian ices and hot pretzels. I know all about scooping ice cream from those 5 gallon tubs. I was always in trouble for making the scoops too big - I was "eating into the profits" by making the scoops too big. I was being too generous. It was several years before I started eating ice cream after that.
Gotta love Ice cream and mom and pop stores and wow combine them and you gotta Love it
I really enjoyed your story, Laura! It takes me back to yearning for "the good ol' days"! I agree-mom & pop stores/etc. are closing everyday and we do need to patronize them to help support them for their tireless work and dedication. They put forth an effort no chain/retail store ever could. Thanks for the memories!Jude
I love this story. I am a teacher and I say "you can learn something from everything you do." This just proves it.
That was a good story. Now days we don't hear too many of those. It's often nice to think of when we were younger and things were a little easier/simpiler and I like ice cream too!! But I got bit by the camp counselor bug and spent most summers at camp with kids. Well, from there I went into education-- what else?? Thank you for reminding me of my summer time jobs. I like dark chocolate best. Anne 8/25/2009 9:10 p.m.
I worked at a toll road oasis for the summer a while back and I remember the icecream shop!!! The 5 gallon buckets were a pain but the icecream was really good!!!!! Since then my grown-up woman misses those days.Before growing up and seeing my sons grow up.I miss being a teenager when life was so much easier!!!!!!! Oh well, I guess we all have to grow up!!!!!!! Lisa
My first job was as a clerk, or "Slurpee Slinger", at 7-Eleven. As long as we kept our own cup on hand, we could have unlimited Slurpees. Mmmmmm! We only had cherry and Coke flavors back then, Cherry-Coke if you mixed them together. I still have a fondness for Slurpees and am so glad that now they have Crystal Light flavors so I don't have to feel guilty!
I worked at Friendlys Ice Cream Shops right after my children were born, so I could work part-time. I always loved ice cream and still do today. I have an Ice Cream Social for my grandchildren when school gets out to show them how much their hard work in school paid off. And... of course, so we can all eat all those different flavors of ice cream. They get to make their own and there are no leftovers.
My first job was working at an ice cream shop, like Dairy Queen but not as popular. It was great, although I just served soft serve ice cream, sundaes and the things from the fryer. I really enjoyed working there, not just because of the ice cream but just for the job I had. We made frozen bananas there, never had them before. They were covered in chocolate, good!
I would not have made it in an ice cream shop. I love ice cream so the owner would have lost because the employee would have eaten her pay. Thanks for showing the story.
I would have loved to work in an ice cream shop! Yum! What fun!
This is a precious story with an awesome message "The best things in life can't be measured on a scale" you are so right! Ice cream is a sweet taste of heavenly bliss. Thanks for sharing. :)
When I was growing up, I babysat, pulled weeds out of fields for 50 cents/hour, worked at the schools during the summers cleaning, sold our veggies out of a wagon going down our neighborhood...and picked/sold wild raspberries...also worked at icecream stand. I considered all was an extremely amazing, helpful experiences..not all the jobs were because I wanted to...but because I/we had to. Dad worked at the stone quarry, and mom stayed at home with us..8 kids. Most of the time it was fun,working for really nice people. Now I have my own mom and pop store, passing the 30 year mark this last January. We've also helped alot of youngsters...hoping they feel as good about their "start in life" as I did. Most come back to visit when they're in the area...makes us feel like we definitely have done something right, and all worth while.
