There will be a new name but a familiar theme on March 1st when new owners re-open a family-targeted restaurant at the old Fire & Ice location on Niles Road near Exit 27 in St. Joseph.
Papa Jake’s Pizzeria and Creamery is the third enterprise opened in Michigan’s Great Southwest in the past year by Dowagiac entrepreneur Jake Arnold and his wife Brooke.
Arnold told MoodyOnTheMarket.com that he wants to build on the best of what was working for Fire and Ice and then expand and improve upon it to build a favorite spot for families to enjoy pizza parties and ice cream treats, whether for a special occasion or just a family night out.
Papa Jake’s Pizza will be featured—with pizza recipes that have been popular at Arnold’s Dowagiac location, Happy Jake’s, which is an all-purpose stop: pizzeria, convenience store, bait shop and liquor store. Arnold will team up his pizza with the ‘new age ice cream’ that Fire and Ice was famous for, as well as offering traditional hand-scooped ice cream flavors. Other menu items will be added before the opening.
Arnold’s enthusiasm radiates as he describes plans to make the old Fire and Ice facility more inviting and customer friendly. He’ll add more tables and chairs and create cozy areas conducive to family and group get-togethers. In the back, there’s an area where he will add an indoor play zone and arcade games for the kids.
As a licensed catering operator in Dowagiac, Arnold said he’ll be able to offer beer and wine to private party groups in the new St. Joseph location, something that may be attractive to Mom & Dad while they wait for the kids’ birthday party to ‘play out.’ Or to all-adult groups that likely didn’t consider the location as an option.
Jake Arnold spent several years working for Gordon Food Service, calling on dozens of restaurant and bar operators throughout Southwest Michigan. He explains that’s how he formed his vision for how to build and operate a successful food and beverage establishment.
He opened Happy Jake’s in Dowagiac last March and later this month will open his second location, ‘Wakey Jake’s’ in Marcellus, a location formerly known as Amy’s Fabulous Diner. He describes Wakey Jake’s as a breakfast and lunch diner.
Arnold said he is leasing the old Fire and Ice location for five years from Lori Costanza, who operated it for several years before closing amid staffing challenges in August.
Jake & Brooke Arnold, with Rowan and Tate
