There’s a specific kind of summer memory that belongs almost exclusively to people who grew up in New Jersey. You’re inside, it’s hot, and then you hear it—faint at first, then louder—that jingle. And whatever you were doing stopped immediately.
Mister Softee has been triggering that reaction in Jersey kids since before most of their parents were born. And now, the brand has a new permanent address in Little Egg Harbor.
A new location opened Friday at 605 Route 9 South, sliding into the spot where The Old Pine Cone used to be. It’s a full shop—not a truck, not a stand—and it’s already got people talking.
The owners announced the opening on social media, writing that they “cannot wait to bring our homemade ice cream, sweet treats, and fun atmosphere to the community.” They’d apparently had this in the works for a while, which, honestly, makes the whole thing feel even more exciting. Nothing like a soft-serve surprise.
What’s on the menu? The signature soft ice cream that made the brand famous, plus 32 flavors of hard ice cream. That last part might catch some people off guard—Mister Softee and hard ice cream in the same sentence isn’t something you hear every day. But that’s the thing about these brick-and-mortar locations. They can do a lot more than a truck rolling down your block ever could.
The brand goes back further than you probably think.
Mister Softee started in Philadelphia in 1956. Two brothers—William and James Conway—had a simple idea: put soft-serve ice cream on wheels and bring it to people instead of waiting for people to come to it. It worked. Within two years the company had outgrown its original home and moved headquarters to Runnemede, right here in South Jersey, where it’s been based ever since.
That Jersey connection is real and it runs deep. This isn’t some out-of-state chain dropping into the area—Mister Softee has been a New Jersey company for nearly 70 years.
Today the franchise runs around 625 trucks across 18 states, making it one of the biggest soft ice cream operations in the country. The trucks are still the core of what they do. But the physical locations have been quietly expanding too, and New Jersey has several of them—full stores in Wildwood and Cape May, plus smaller stands in Brick, Beachwood, Manahawkin, Seaside Heights, Cape May Court House, North Wildwood, and Pennsauken.
Little Egg Harbor is the newest name on that list.
One more thing worth knowing if you’re a Mister Softee purist who still chases the truck.
The company has a GPS-based app now. Real-time truck locations, right on your phone. No more hovering near the window trying to figure out if that jingle is getting closer or fading away. It covers New Jersey and several other states, and it’s exactly the kind of update that sounds minor until the first time you actually use it.
But if you’re in Ocean County this season, you might not even need it. 605 Route 9 South isn’t going anywhere.
What to Know Before You Go
- 605 Route 9 South, Little Egg Harbor
- Soft serve + 32 hard ice cream flavors
- Mister Softee app tracks trucks in real time
- One of several NJ locations, including Wildwood and Cape May
Mister Softee Little Egg Harbor is located at 605 Route 9 South in Little Egg Harbor. Follow their social media for hours and updates.
Michael is the Editor-in-Chief of New Jersey Digest and Creative Director at X Factor Media. A Bergen County native, he discovered his passion for storytelling while studying at Montclair State University. In addition to his work in journalism and media, Michael is an avid fiction writer. Outside the office, he enjoys kayaking, a bold glass of Nebbiolo, and the fine art of over-editing.