Jim Pollitt figured he would show some support for a former Hinsdale Central classmate 20 years ago when Chuck Kaufmann opened his new business — The Daily Scoop ice cream shop — in downtown Clarendon Hills.
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Fast-forward to 2022 and The Daily Scoop is celebrating its 20th anniversary as somewhat of an institution in the village, and Pollitt still takes his business there.
“When it opened, there had been different ice cream stores there over the years,” said Pollitt, who has lived in Clarendon Hills since 1992. “When he first opened, we wanted to support him and hoped he would be there for a long time, and that’s what’s happened.”
Pollitt said Kaufmann and The Daily Scoop have become a real part of the community in Clarendon Hills.
“He’s been able to create an environment where people know it’s the local place,” Pollitt said. “It’s a very welcoming atmosphere. Everybody knows Chuck, and he knows everyone. And the ice cream is excellent, too.”
Kaufmann said he was hopeful when he opened The Daily Scoop on Feb. 22, 2002, but didn’t really know what to expect. He previously had worked in the hotel/restaurant business and found himself without a job after 9/11.
“The hotel business shut down,” he said. “My wife and I always wanted to do something, so we figured that was the time to give it a try.”
The available storefront at 9 S. Prospect Ave., in the heart of downtown Clarendon Hills, was the spot Kaufmann and his wife chose.
“The location was perfect,” he said. “We knew the area, and there were a lot of kids. Clarendon Hills is a very kid friendly town, with a lot of people walking downtown.”
Kaufmann said he chose an ice cream shop as his business because it was relatively affordable to get started. He later added other offerings, such as hot dogs and candy reminiscent of the old-time penny candy stores.
“I can’t say I had a 20-year plan when we opened,” Kaufmann said. “I didn’t know everyone would be so supportive, and the support we get is phenomenal.”
That support was never more visible than during the past couple of years, while many businesses were lost to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Even when we had to close and not allow anyone inside, we continued to get support from people, who kept coming for ice cream and would wait for us to bring it outside to them,” Kaufmann said.
The public support went even further.
“The first few months of COVID, I had people call me to buy gift certificates, but they never came in to pick them up,” Kaufmann said. “That tells me they are full in on supporting local business.”
A wall filled with photographs of customers collected over the years shows that Kaufmann supports them, too.
“That wasn’t the plan at the beginning,” he said. “We had two bulletin boards up, the idea being that people could post things like notices of local events. But that turned into photos being put up there, and everyone really enjoys that. At one time, we had 3,000 pictures on the wall.”
The community/family atmosphere that radiates from The Daily Scoop is evident the its employees, along with the customers. Kaufmann said he usually has 9-13 employees each year and has had a total of 96 since the business first opened.
“They all come back and stay,” he said. “They like to be here and all get along.”
Four sisters from the same family, Maggie, Claire, Kaitlin and Caroline Kienzle, all worked at The Daily Scoop.
“I really do enjoy what I do. No two days are the same, and I enjoy the people” Kaufmann said.
The Daily Scoop is a seasonal business, which opens the first weekend of March and closes each year at the end of October.
“It’s a lot of hours, but I really do love it, and it’s flexible,” Kaufmann said.
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He said he plans an anniversary celebration July 17.