Summertime means we are all craving some ice cream from the best ice cream shops in Hoboken + Jersey City. Conez Ice Cream, one such shop, is a beloved Black-owned ice creamery that serves ‘hard’ — aka scoopable — ice cream, soft serve, milkshakes, smoothies, and select ice cream cakes. Read on to learn more about Conez Hard & Soft Ice Cream Shop, located at 415 Martin Luther King Drive, Jersey City.
(Photo credit: @conezicecream)
Making a Home in Jersey City
Conez is located less than a minute away from the MLK Drive Light Rail stop in Jersey City. Truly — you can see the storefront as soon as you get off the train, and its bright + colorful exterior always helps ensure it can’t be missed. The family-run ice creamery opened in the spring of 2019. When the pandemic hit a few months later, the family had to pause the operation for 6 months. While those 6 months were tumultuous, once Conez reopened owner Willie Hagganssaid that “business has been good since.”
Read More: A New Ice Cream Shop is Taking Over Giorgio’s Space
Willie, a Jersey City resident since 1956, opened Conez with his niece, Shantaā Pressley, who has lived in JC since she was 5. He knows that people always feel better when they have some ice cream, especially after a long day, so he wanted to have a place within his community to add a little more happiness. “People feel good when they eat ice cream,” Willie said — and he makes a valid point.
(Photo credit: @conezicecream)
One of the ways that Conez extends this positivity into the immediate community is by offering ice cream to two of the nearby daycare centers during the summertime.
“I think he always had a dream of opening an ice cream shop,” said Shantaā. Before becoming a small business owner, Willie was a retiree of the Newark labor union. That dream only got bigger until it manifested itself into what Conez is today.
The Menu
Conez features 30 milkshake flavors, 15 soft serve flavors, 4 fruit-based flavors, dairy-free selections, and more. If you’re a fan of hard ice cream and love classic flavors, then Conez should be on your list to try out. Ranging from the OGs, like vanilla and chocolate, to some classics with a twist, like praline + cream and strawberry cheesecake, there’s something for everyone here. There isn’t any seating available, so this is a great option for if you’re craving ice cream on the go. It’s also ideal for a summer evening when you’re craving ice cream outdoors.
(Photo credit: @conezicecream)
Conez does also have more child-focused flavors, like the ‘superman.’ This is a classic red, white, and blue ice cream that’s a big seller with kids in the summertime.
See More: A Guide to the Ice Cream Shops of Essex County
Along with its ice cream selection, Conez also has a selection of smoothies and ice cream cakes. Each ice cream cake is 2 layers of ice cream with either a frosting or a crunch layer in the middle. You can customize your flavor combinations with any of its hard ice cream offerings and the Conez staff will decorate it for you.
Stay in the know with @thehobokengirl on Instagram and TikTok.
