Nicholas Creamery Opening New Middletown Ice Cream Shop

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Nicholas Creamery will open its fifth ice cream parlor in what used to be the Sears Auto Center tire store on Rt. 35, owner Nicholas Harary confirmed to Patch Monday.

The new ice cream shop will be located in the same shopping complex as the Middletown Saker ShopRite, which opened last summer in its new location on Rt. 35 at Kings Highway.

It will open in a small strip of stores owned by Richard Saker and is currently entirely empty. However, that's not all: The ice cream store will be just one shop in a "high-end food court," said Harary.

"I really cannot comment on the other stores that are coming, as we were the first to announce we leased there," said Harary. "But it will be a mix of national and local names. Think high end. It's very exciting. We definitely wanted to be included in this mix of businesses. When you come out of the Middletown ShopRite you will be looking directly at the ice cream parlor and other eateries."

Harary said he hopes to open the ice cream shop "by Thanksgiving."

Nicholas Creamery is an ice cream shop with locations in Fair Haven, Atlantic Highlands, Tinton Falls and Long Branch. This new Middletown location will be their fifth.

Harary also owns Nicholas Barrel & Roost, a high-end restaurant on the Middletown/Red Bank border. Nicholas Barrel & Roost is a favorite dining spot of Gov. Phil Murphy, who lives less than a mile away.

On their Facebook page Monday morning, Nicholas Creamery teased customers that a fifth new store was coming, but did not say where:

"Ba- BOOM!!!" they wrote. "Nicholas Creamery is opening location #5!! Who wants to guess which New Jersey town will be spoonin’ up HOMEMADE, small batch ice cream in the months to come ??"

Related: Middletown Restaurant Accused Of Breaking Rules While Murphy Ate: While Gov. Murphy dined just steps away on the terrace, the owner said police were on the sidewalk, saying he was violating COVID rules. (Aug. 2020)