New Owners Ready For Beloved Ice Cream Shop To Make New Memories In Point Pleasant Beach

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Stephanie Saladino has many fond childhood memories of trips for ice cream on summer nights at the shore.

This summer, it's the Saladino family that will be supplying the sweet basis for a new generation of memories at the new Salty's Inlet Ice Cream.

The shop is set to open May 3 at the former Strollo's Lighthouse Italian ice shop at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Broadway at Inlet Drive. They announced in February that they had taken over the property. A grand opening is set for Memorial Day weekend.

"I grew up in Harborhead," Saladino said, referring to the condominium complex at the north end of Point Pleasant Beach near Manasquan Inlet across the street from the shop where she and her parents spent their summers.

Starting an ice cream shop "was just something we always kind of wanted to do," said Saladino, who is starting the business along with her husband, David. The Strollo's Lighthouse location becoming available was a key development, she said.

In addition to soft and hard ice cream, Salty's will have a menu that includes slushies, Italian ice, shakes and special sundaes with names that honor Point Pleasant Beach in various ways, Saladino said.

There's The Broadway, which is vanilla soft serve with peanut butter sauce and Reese's Pieces and peanut butter cups. sundae, and the Salty's Special, which is swirl soft serve, cheesecake bites, strawberries and salted caramel sauce.

And there's the Norma K, a tribute to the fishing boat and its longtime owner, Norma Keller.

"My dad's first job was on the Norma K," Saladino said. The Norma K is vanilla soft serve, hot fudge, brownie bites and rainbow sprinkles, which was Keller's favorite combination.

They also are partnering with Divi Tree to offer coffee-based drinks, including cold brews topped with soft serve.

Salty's also will offer a pick-up window to allow people to order ahead, "to jump the line," she said. It may not be available on nights where the shop is super busy, she said.

The shop will accept a wide range of a wide range of payment options, a change from the cash-only business at Strollo's, she said.

The building was empty when they took over, and Saladino said they partnered with local contractors to get the shop up and running.

She said they will have specials, weekly deals and contests and special events and theme nights, such as Taylor Swift Night, with sundaes and her music playing all evening.

Read more: New Ice Cream Shop Coming To Point Pleasant Beach