We All Scream for Ice Cream
by Stefanie Cedar Shames, Class of 1977
There was just ice cream in the days before, soy, oat, and lactose-free. The Carvel on Jerusalem Avenue was always a favorite! Whenever my sister and I were in the car with my father, we would "hijack" him to stop at Carvel, and he always took us there because he loved it, too! I always liked the chocolate cone with chocolate sprinkles! This is the same Carvel that was damaged during the Hicksville tornado of 1976 where classmates were injured.
In addition to Carvel, we had Baskin Robbins' 31 Flavors on Hicksville Road. Even though I loved Rocky Road ice cream, I didn't like it enough to go out in cold weather. My father and sister would go out in all kinds of weather, including blizzards, to get ice cream at Baskin Robbins.
Late at night, Mister Softee would drive around with that unmistakable music. A few months ago, I was waiting for the Toyota dealer in Orlando to finish servicing my car, and a Mister Softee truck drove into the parking lot! I couldn't believe my eyes! I asked a salesman if it was there for service or sales and if customers could also buy. Needless to say, I ran across the parking lot and got a
chocolate soft-serve cone with chocolate sprinkles, and it was delicious!!! My husband got the vanilla with the colored sprinkles, and we took this picture to send to my sister.
The Good Humor truck would drive around also. We would hear the music, run out of the house, and yell, "Hold it!" Some kids thought it was actually called "Hold it." The Good Humor Man would wear a white uniform. My favorite was the chocolate eclair with a piece of dark chocolate in the middle. I still see Good Humor displays and chocolate eclairs, but I haven't found any with the piece of chocolate inside anymore.
Sometimes, we would leave the neighborhood for sit-down ice cream. We would either go to Howard Johnson's or Friendly's. For some reason, we loved french fries with our ice cream! I would get a chocolate ice cream soda with coffee ice cream. At Friendly's, my father would get the "Jim Dandy," and when we really splurged, we would get the banana split. When we really wanted to drive further, we would go to Jahn's in Levittown or Farrell's in Massapequa. 
Matchbook cover from Hicksville Motor Lodge showing Howard Johnson's in the front, located on Old Country Rd. and the Wantagh Parkway
I need to stick with soy ice cream these days, but the memories of those places and flavors remain. Write to
Thanks to HixNews Webmaster Matt Kennedy, Class of 2008, we have these photos of what is in the locations now. Some of the addresses may not match what used to be there, but if you have photos and memories, email us, and we will publish them!
419 Jerusalem Ave - site of Carvel. 
This is also near where the Carvel was located.. 
Howard Johnson's Location Now in front of an Econolodge-429 Duffy Avenue 
Site of Original Baskin Robbins
Credits to:
Ron Wencer, Class of 1964, for locating the matchbook above.
1976-06/02 - Storm/Tornado Damage, Jerusalem Avenue, Hicksville, NY, by RSB Image Works, Storm/Tornado Damage Hicksville area of Long Island, New York, Nassau County Police Dept., 8th Pct., Wednesday, June 2, 1976, Photography By & ©Robert Berkowitz / RSB Image Works www.RSBImageWorks.com
