For as long as I can remember, there has been an ongoing debate in the central Jersey shore area. It is not a serious topic, but people take it very seriously and will always fight for what they believe to be true. This continuous debate is about what to call an ice cream shop. If you reside in this particular area of New Jersey, you probably know exactly which ice cream shop I am referring to. It is a famous spot at the Jersey Shore. It is a great place to hang out and have some delicious ice cream with family and friends, but we just cannot agree on one name for this place.
This ice cream shop I am talking about is called both "Strollo's" and "The Lighthouse". People who call it Strollo's argue with those who call it The Lighthouse and vise versa. I personally grew up calling it The Lighthouse, and I will admit that I have argued with those who call it Strollo's, but at the end of the day, I can understand why they know it as Strollo's and not The Lighthouse. I am familiar with two different locations for this ice cream shop; one in Point Pleasant, and one in Belmar. The one in Point Pleasant, which is the one I grew up going to, has a giant lighthouse sculpted on top of the building, and the sign on the front says "Lighthouse Italian Ice" in a giant, bubble-letter style font, and if you look to the side of the building that you can't see from the street, there is a sign that says "Strollo's Italian Ice".
I have been to and have driven past this establishment many times, but I only noticed the Strollo's sign a couple of years ago, and I only knew to look for it because I recently heard people referring to this place as Strollo's. When people would call it Strollo’s, I would get very confused because that is never what I knew it as. I had no idea where people were getting that name from. Then one day, I drove past the Belmar location. I never went inside, but I immediately noticed the sign. It was written in cursive, and all it said was “Strollo’s”. It did not say “The Lighthouse” and did not have a giant lighthouse on top of the building. This place had no reference to a lighthouse whatsoever.
Because of the facts and circumstances behind this debate, I do not believe that there is a right or wrong answer. I still call if The Lighthouse and I probably will never convert, but those who call it Strollo’s shouldn’t have to convert either. At the end of the day, they are the same place and it is fantastic ice cream, which is really all that matters. Besides, what would a Jersey Shore Summer be without a debate about food? We love our Summer treats here in Jersey, so whether you know it as Strollo’s or as The Lighthouse, make sure you enjoy every bite of its deliciousness.
