Michelle Albolino, left, waits on Alfonso Gristina, center, and his son Phillip.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
JFL What’s the Scoop held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday at JFL Plaza next to the Pittston Memorial Library. Principal owners in red T-shirts, center, are, left to right: Jennifer Lombardo, Robbie Lombardo, Michelle Lombardo Albolino and Marc Albolino.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
JFL What’s the Scoop co-owner Michelle Albolino makes an ice snowball for a customer on ribbon-cutting ceremony day.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Co-owners Robbie Lombardo, left, and his sister, Michelle Albolino, right, hustle while taking care of customers after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
JFL What’s the Scoop, located on Broad Street, Pittston, inside the JFL Plaza, has an extensive menu featuring pastries from Sanitary Bakery and Leiby’s ice cream.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — What’s the Scoop? is back.
Now rebranded as JFL What’s the Scoop?, Rob Lombardo and his sister, Michelle Albolino ,and their spouses Jennifer and Marc, respectively, are taking over where their late brother, John, left off.
City of Pittston firefighter John Lombardo, along with West Pittston Hose Co.’s Leonard Insalaco, lost their lives fighting a Main Street, Pittston, fire on March 15, 1993. At the time of his death, John was the proprietor of What’s the Scoop? on Broad Street in Pittston.
Decades later, Rob and Michelle decided to bring the ice cream parlor back at the same six-store JFL Plaza, just a few doors down from the original site next to the Pittston Memorial Library on Broad Street.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday, Sept. 30 to mark the reopening of the store and to note what would have been John’s 58th birthday.
“Our brother John actually had the original shop and we are doing the opening today because today is actually his birthday,” Rob said. “It’s the rebirth of What’s the Scoop? in his memory.”
“It’s great, since we opened a lot of older people are coming back with their kids and it’s really great to see that.” Michelle said, when speaking of her brother John’s former patrons.
They feature hard ice cream by Leiby’s, fresh pastries from Sanitary Bakery and beverages and coffee.
JFL What’s the Scoop? serves 20 flavors of ice cream and three seasonal flavors as well as sugar-free butter pecan, a Vegan non-dairy berry supreme and cashew raspberry cashew yogurt.
Also on the menu is shaved ice Sno Balls with nearly 50 flavors to choose from.
JFL What’s the Scoop? will be open year-round with winter hours from 1 to 8 p.m.
