Residents from Upper Milford, Lower Macungie, Emmaus and other local areas packed the Upper Milford Township Zoning Hearing Board meeting Aug. 11 to voice their concerns about the sale of the nostalgic “top of the hill” Countryside ice cream shop in Upper Milford.
Jai Raskapur and Isha Patel were seeking a variance to expand their anticipated cigar shop to include a smoking lounge at the 5130 Chestnut St. location. Not one resident spoke in support of the variance sought by prospective buyers Raskapur and Patel.
The property at 5130 Chestnut St. has been an ice cream shop since the 1950s. While ownership of the business changed throughout the decades, Nadine Schmoyer branded it as TG Countryside LLC in 2017. Online reviews note the “charm and old school feel” of the business as well as the excellent hard ice cream, creative soft serve, homemade novelties and ice cream cakes, as well as homemade American hot food cuisine…