'Time for us to have fun:' Couple to open downtown Elyria ice cream shop

ELYRIA — A local couple is starting up an ice cream shop with a name inspired by a stuffed elephant. John and Cynthia Oleksiak are preparing to open Elmers Ice Cream & More in mid-June. Elmer comes from a stuffed animal that has been in the family for decades. While the couple struggled to come up with a name for the shop, they saw Elmer in their house and the rest was history. Elmer will now serve as the mascot for the shop. The shop is at 212 East Ave., a historic building from 1893. The Oleksiaks have done significant construction on the building that sat vacant for years. Cynthia Oleksiak said they want to serve sandwiches in addition to ice cream, and other food items like nachos. The ice cream will come from Toft Dairy Ice Cream out of Sandusky. The Oleksiaks both retired from their careers, but they didn't want their jobs to end there. Instead, they decided they wanted to start up some sort of shop. They looked at multiple buildings and kept driving past the East Avenue location, and Cynthia Oleksiak said they kept wondering what the building could hold. It originally was a residential home, but it had been converted to offices. Final touches of paint were being put on Thursday. Next up is the flooring before the heavy equipment is loaded in. John Oleksiak said they are trying to keep the building to its historic form as much as possible, including preserving the entryway and foyer. The deck in front of the building was extended so customers can sit outside. Cynthia Oleksiak said the property has come a long way just in the past week. They are beginning interviews for employees this weekend and next week, and are still looking for applicants to work at the shop. A benefit to the East Avenue location, John Oleksiak said, is the proximity to City Hall and the county courthouse, as well as the new library. But he also said there's not a lot of food options near their location. With the high rise apartments and nearby houses, John Oleksiak said they wanted a place where people can safely walk to grab a bite of food. John Oleksiak worked as an executive chef in the 1990s, but he left after his son was born and entered into a sales job focused on food service. After retiring from his job, John Oleksiak said they wanted to stay in the area but still do something for them. His sales and food experience is combined with Cynthia Oleksiak's accounting experience. And now that their son is grown, it's their turn to live a little. "It's time for us to have fun," John Oleksiak said. Elmers Ice Cream & More will have a soft opening in June and then a grand opening a little later. It will be open year round. Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.