Summertime in Swedesboro means soaring temperatures, but it also means ice cream! Enter the Smiling Parrot- a fun, vibrant eatery that features a tropical atmosphere perfect for relaxing with a sweet treat under the warm sun. In June of 2010, Jackie and Christopher Vasko opened the ice cream stand, located at the corner of Kings Highway and Center Square Road, and it’s been popular with locals and visitors alike ever since.
The Smiling Parrot boasts a welcoming sitting area with poppy umbrellas, cheerful tropical music, and for the littlest customers, colorful chalk and stickers. The shop offers an array of delicious goodies: hand-dipped Richman’s ice cream (an area favorite) is served up daily along with 24 flavors of soft-serve, specialty sundaes, and hand-dipped and soft-serve milkshakes. Tropical Storms are a big hit- these are ice cream blended up with a choice of candy, and the stand also serves 12 delicious flavors of water ice, including sugar-free varieties. Gelatis are a customer favorite as well, along with a fun concoction called the Island Breeze- a happy mix of water ice and soft serve.
So what brings The Smiling Parrot to Swedesboro? Jackie and Christopher realized they had an opportunity to try something different as their children were getting older and more independent. The couple knew they wanted to create a family-centered business, and Jackie chose the tropical theme based upon her love of Margaritaville and Jimmy Buffet. The Vaskos decided Swedesboro would be a great fit for an ice cream shop, and knew they wanted a fun spot that would have visitors smiling. With that, The Smiling Parrot was born.
When asked about her favorite ice cream flavor, Jackie says it’s a toss-up between their tasty vanilla soft serve and The Smiling Parrot’s newest hand-dipped variety, Sweet and Salty Caramel Pretzel. She also recommends the Peanut Butter in Paradise Sundae, believing “there’s no such thing as too much peanut butter!”
From now until Labor Day, The Smiling Parrot is open Monday through Thursday 12pm to 9:30pm, and Friday through Sunday from 12pm to 10pm. After Labor Day (September 3rd – September 30th), the shop will be open Monday through Thursday from 3pm-8:30pm, and Friday through Sunday from 3pm to 9pm. The shop closes in October and reopens in March.
Keep an eye out for The Smiling Parrot’s new ice cream app, launching soon. The app will be available for both Android and iOS devices, and will feature menu items and flavors, as well as a map and information about the store’s hours. You can find The Smiling Parrot online at www.smilingparrot.com, and be sure to follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Smiling-Parrot/234926979856324 for all the latest updates!
Thanks Jackie and Christopher for taking the time to share all the latest sweet news from your shop!