By LOIS KINDLE
Jack Shack’s new owner, Parth Patel, has done a bit of remodeling at his ice cream shop in Sun City Center. Customers will now find a simpler menu, new products and brighter, more family friendly decor.
They’ll also discover reduced wait times and a new rewards program.
Located at 4864 Sun City Center Blvd. in the King’s Crossing Shopping Center, Jack’s Shack still features made-to order, rolled ice cream prepared on the spot, but it now also offers traditional scoop ice cream from Yoder’s in Sarasota.
“It’s a rich, creamy, very nice ice cream,” Patel said. “It comes in 16 flavors, including two vegan, a no-added sugar sorbet and sherbet,” Patel said. “Altogether, we have about 40 flavors (between rolled and traditional ice creams).”
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If you’re in the mood for something cold and sweet, Jack’s Shack has it all — 40 flavors or rolled and traditional ice creams, frozen yogurt, shaved ice, milkshakes, malts, sundaes and splits.
The shop also offers shaved ice, frozen yogurt, milk shakes, malts, sundaes and splits, Patel said.
The new Jack’s Shack Rewards Program is quite customer friendly. For every dollar spent, the customer gets a star, which is recorded online. As purchases are made, more points accumulate, and for every 50 stars, the customer receives $5 off a purchase, and for every 100 stars, $15 off. The reward is used at the customer’s discretion.
Eager to live in a warmer climate, Patel, 39, moved his family to Riverview from Canada during the summer of 2022. His wife, Hena, was offered a transfer to Tampa by her employer, Citibank, so the couple decided to give themselves a year in the Sunshine State before moving their assets. The Patels and their two small children are big fans of the sunshine and warm weather here and have decided to stay.
LOIS KINDLE PHOTO
Parth Patel, owner of Jack’s Shack in Sun City Center, recently made some sweet changes to accomodate his customers. The ice cream shop now has a simpler menu, new products, new rewards program and a brighter, more family friendly decor.
Former Jack’s Shack owners, Deborah Lorenz and Troy Melquist, who were in the midst of building out Replays Family Sports Grille, hired Patel in August to manage the ice cream shop that August. He had plenty of experience as owner of a variety of businesses in Canada.
When business began booming at both places, Lorenz and Melquist offered to sell the shop to Patel. Jack’s Shack changed hands last September (2023).
“It was an easy transition for everyone,” Patel said. “I knew the shop’s entire operation, and customers already knew me.”
Jack’s Shack is open Tuesday through Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m.; Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m. The shop is closed Monday. All forms of payment are accepted, and delivery is available through Door Dash. Gift cards are also available.
For more information, visit Jack’s Shack on Facebook, find its website at www.jacksshackiceandcream.com or call 813-419-4189.
