LEWISBURG — The family owners of May’s Drive-In, a longtime eatery along Route 405, is taking a portion of their menu across the river and expanding their existing business after purchasing the former Lewisburg Freez building along Route 15.
Third-generation owner Jacob May said opening an ice cream shop at the former Lewisburg Freez, 242 N. Derr Drive, Lewisburg, made sense. This will be their first expansion into Union County.
“We always heard it was a very busy location and there were always lines,” said May, who operates the Route 405 location with his father, Bill May Jr.
“They (Lewisburg Freez) had great ice cream and a great reputation in the area,” May said. “We’re good at ice cream and thought this would be a good opportunity.”
The original May’s Drive-In was opened in 1956 at 320 Montour Blvd., Bloomsburg, by Jacob May’s grandparents, Bill May Sr. and his late wife, Sara May. The Milton location at 2675 Route 405, which opened in 1966, is one of five drive-ins across the Valley.
That restaurant location is along the banks of the Susquehanna River, right next to the river bridge into Lewisburg, an area known locally as East Lewisburg.
The Lewisburg Freez, owned by Angela Kifolo and Shawn Brown, closed in August after 32 years of serving soft-serve ice cream in cones and shakes.
The business had been open since the 1940s; the current owners took over the business in the 1990s.
The Mays finalized the building purchase earlier this month. They plan to open the location in the late spring once cosmetic renovations and equipment delivery are completed.
The existing May’s Drive-In is well known for its window service and scenic view of the Susquehanna River.
The restaurant uses meat from Lewisburg-based Fisher’s Meats and hard ice cream from Pocono Mountain Dairy, which supplies Turkey Hill and Kemps Ice Cream. They also have 30 flavors of soft serve and milkshakes.
Jacob May said they are well known for their freshly breaded haddock, pizza, fish nuggets and crinkle cut fries.
In addition to ice cream, May said customers love the Stormers, which is ice cream mixed with candy.
“People love breakfast here, too,” said Jacob May.
“We were one of the few who made it out of COVID. A lot of breakfast places closed. We’ve been here a long time. Our logo is ‘The Good Food People’ and we really do believe that.”
The new Route 15 location, will offer ice cream and related products, and have the same “good customer service,” said May.
“People know us as good food people and a good business, and we will provide a really good service,” he said.
The menu at the new Route 15 location will be soft serve ice cream, frozen coffee and cappuccinos, smoothies, sundaes, Stormers, ice cream sandwiches and other frozen novelties, said May,.
Judson Keener, of Sunbury, and Mario Lepley, of Shamokin Dam, have been coming to May’s in Milton for lunch or dinner several times a week for the last five years.
“I like their food and their staff,” said Lepley.
“Their food is not too salty,” he added.
“I really like the chicken sandwiches, and pizza, and ice cream,” said Keener. “Everything is good.”
They said they would likely check out the Lewisburg location once it opens.
The existing Mays location in East Lewisburg is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Mondays.