John
Hanna owns a Fairfield restaurant, has been in the food industry for 14
years and has opened nine restaurants, mostly in his home state of New
Jersey.
So when Hanna, 41, heard that California-based investors,
SA Mary Ohio LLC, had purchased the Towne Mall in Middletown and planned
extensive remodeling and expansions, he wanted to be part of the
rebirth of the what once was called “a dead mall.”
“We are excited,” Hanna said Friday afternoon. “We think the mall can be very successful.”
Hanna,
who owns Kalamatas Greek Grill in the Voice of America shopping center,
said he felt Middletown, especially in the East End, could support Ice
Ice Smoothie, which is located just inside the mall entrance, next to
All About You Catering. It’s not exactly as “food court,” but it’s
growing.
Ice Ice Smoothie has been open for about one month, and
through “word of mouth,” business has increased every day, he said. He
described business as “decent” and he hopes to advertise once the
business becomes “more structured.”
Much of the business, so far,
he said, has been from repeat customers. He said for the business to
strive, it must attract customers from outside the Towne Mall, at least
until mall foot traffic improves.
Ice Ice Smoothie is managed by L.J. Brunner, who formerly managed a national smoothie chain in West Chester.
“I have all the confidence in him,” Hanna said.
Hanna said Ice Ice features only natural ingredients and no syrup. That, he said, can be the difference in being successful.
“It’s all about the product,” he said. “You have to make it worthwhile.”
One
of the most popular smoothies is called Elvis Special and it’s made of
peanut butter, chocolate and bananas. Besides the smoothies, the
business offers hot dogs, walking nachos, soft pretzels and nachos.
Trisha
Hale, general manger of the mall, said Ice Ice Smoothie is another
reason to draw shoppers to the center. She called the food business
“very unique” and said she was “thrilled” to have them join the mall.
What: Ice Ice Smoothie
Where: Towne Mall, Middletown
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Owner: John Hanna
Manager: L.J. Benner
Employees: 6
I wish them success, but they need to improve the quality of the ice cream they serve, it was more ice than cream. I spent most of the time waiting for my ice cream headache's to fade, due to how cold my ice cream rather was than enjoying it.
Also I was kinda disturbed by the flies flying around me as I was waiting to be served, but I don't know if that is Ice, Ice Smoothies fault or people letting the flies in when opening the doors at the Mall's.