MOUNTAIN TOP — Malacari’s Ice Cream at 315 S. Mountain Blvd. is in the process of completing a new, fun addition for the whole family, set to open next month.
Construction on the 18-hole mini golf course is well underway, according to photos from Malacari’s Produce Stand & Deli’s Facebook, with concrete poured for at least three holes as of this past week.
“It’s going to be (open) sometime in May. I’m hoping Memorial Day or earlier. We expect to get the full summer out of it,” Joey Malacari said.
Malacari explained that after purchasing the property in Mountain Top that is home to the ice cream stand and Abe’s Hot Dogs, ideas started rolling on what to do with the adjoining land.
“I wanted something that went with ice cream,” he said. “I’m actually a Wright Township resident. So, I wanted something that Mountain Top didn’t have, knowing that, you know, most things you have to go down to the city to get.”
“I can tell you from experience, once you go up the mountain at night, when you’re done with work, you don’t want to go back down,” he added with a laugh.
So, the hope is that this golf course, along with Abe’s and of course, Malacari’s Ice Cream Stand, will offer something for area residents of all ages to enjoy without having to travel too far from home.
And the theme for the course? Well, it’ll be like a trip to the beach.
Malacari said childhood memories inspired the theme, remembering that whenever he mini-golfed as child, it was always at the Jersey shore or Maryland.
“For whatever reason, I have it connected in my mind that mini golf is the beach, is vacation,” he remarked, continuing, “So, we wanted to go with something like that.”
The course will have it’s own kiosk for club and ball rentals, as well as a free game opportunity at the end where players can earn their next game completely gratis with a hole-in-one.
“It’s something completely new and something that we’re excited to do,” Malacari said.
“We got it all started with our grocery store and we’re excited to branch out with something else, you know, as we branched out to other things in the past. It’ll just be another little piece of our family business,” he added.
Speaking of the family business, the restaurant slated to open at the 80 Wilkes-Barre Twp. Blvd. location is still in the works.
“Progress is being made daily,” Malacari said, though he didn’t pinpoint a definite opening date, adding that an update can be expected, “in the coming weeks.”
