The Lighthouse is Open in Long Branch

Italian ice and ice cream fans can rejoice as the Strollo's Lighthouse Italian Ice opened today in Long Branch.

The Lighthouse is located at 65 Ocean Avenue, right in front of the entrance to Seven Presidents Park and has been serving some of the best Italian ice since 1976.

The Lighthouse closes for four months, and happened to close just before Hurricane Sandy hit the area last October.

Owner Jimmy Callano said the store received minimal damage and that only minor repairs needed to be made to fence at the rear of the property and the front signage.

The Lighthouse features 24 different flavors of homemade Italian ice and 3 flavors of soft serve ice cream with different flavors of the week.

Patrons can mix the Italian ice and ice cream together to make several types of unique and delicious combinations or simply enjoy one flavor in a cup or cone.

Callano said he is excited to get back to work after the 4-month layoff.

"In the four months your off, you get very antsy and want to get back to work and see all the wonderful customers," Callano said.

People were already lining up to the Lighthouse's pickup windows for the store's 2 p.m. grand reopening.

This is the fourth year the Lighthouse has been in its new location after moving north up Ocean Avenue.

There are three other Lighthouses in the area; 69 Brighton Avenue, Long Branch, 101 Ocean Ave., Point Pleasant Beach and 64 Bridge Ave., Red Bank.

Callano owns the other Long Branch location and the Point Pleasant Beach store. His cousin, Kevin Valerio, owns the Red Bank location.