Troutdale's JGelati serves up tasty frozen desserts

There are few bumps in life that can’t be soothed by ice cream.

“People are happy when they come in here,” said Sally Mackey, co-owner of the recently opened JGelati Italian Ice and Frozen Custard shop in Troutdale. “Even if they’re in a bad mood when they come in, once they get ice cream in their hands, they’re happy.”

JGelati, with its brightly colored retro-look interior, offers a unique twist to frozen dessert. Fruit-flavored Italian Ice, creamy soft custard ice cream and an assortment of other cool concoctions, are all made locally and to order. And if indecision is your issue, try layering the ice cream and Italian Ice in a parfait for a decadent treat known as Gelati.

The business is a second career for Troutdale residents, Sally and Glen Mackey. A clinical nutritionist and manager for the Flying J Truck Stop respectively, both were downsized from their jobs two years ago. They found themselves not quite ready to retire, but not exactly top candidates for other employers either.

The couple toyed with the notion of running their own business, but wanted to explore the ins and outs of ownership before taking the next step.

They enrolled in classes at Clackamas Community College and spent the next year working with a business adviser, charged with poking holes in their proposed ideas. Their adviser told the couple of a unique ice cream shop in Milwaukie and connected them with its owner, John Greer.

The introduction turned out to be destiny for the couple, who had their first date in an ice cream shop while attending Oregon State University 34 years ago.

“We knew opening a new business right now was risky, but this one wasn’t really a leap for us,” Glen said. “So many things just fell into place. We feel like it was meant to be.”

The Mackeys took advantage of Troutdale’s Open for Business Program, which expedites the permit process and waives fees to encourage new business growth. But a contractor’s bid of $4,200 to lay 600 square-feet of linoleum flooring in their Cherry Park Plaza storefront led them to take remodeling measures into their own hands.

“We signed up for a workshop at Sherwin Williams and learned how to stain the cement floor ourselves,” Sally said. “We were the only ones at the workshop who weren’t there for commercial reasons. But we met professionals who were happy to share what they knew and walked us through the project. Everybody — our friends, neighboring businesses — have been so wonderful to help us get this place ready to open.”

An east coast classic comes west

According to Glen, Gelati originated in Philadelphia, and is gradually catching on up and down the west coast.

The classic layered parfait of Italian ice and frozen soft custard ice cream was made famous by a shop called Rita’s and continues to be a Philadelphia tradition.

Greer, who owns the Milwaukie JGelati, apprenticed at the famed store and brought the recipes to the northwest.

He has been instructing the Mackeys in the production process and sharing the recipes he’s developed.

Those with dietary restrictions will be happy to know Italian Ice is fat free, dairy free and cholesterol free. It should not be confused with snow cones or shaved ice, which are simply flavored syrup poured over crushed ice.

Italian Ice is churned like ice cream in a commercial freezer, using a combination of ice, fruit puree, sugar and a stabilizing agent. The result is a smooth, creamy confection, exploding with fruit flavor.

“It’s all blended together and comes out in a long ribbon,” Glen said. “It’s almost completely frozen. We use recipes so the product is consistent every time, with the same taste and texture.”

Like so many others who have found themselves unemployed after lengthy careers, the Mackeys never thought they would be starting over, especially as business owners. But a leap of faith has turned out to be a refreshing treat.

“All I can think is this is fun!” said Glen. “This is not what I went to school for, but this is fun.”

If you go:

Who: JGelati, 2467 S.W. Cherry Park Road, Troutdale.

What: 28 flavors of frozen soft custard ice cream and 14 fresh fruit-based Italian Ice flavors in single-serve size; Gelati; sundaes and frozen drinks.

Hours of operation: Noon to 9 p.m. daily.

For more information: Call 503-989-5605.