COOPERSBURG, Pa. — Music, dancing, and homemade ice cream helped welcome back a familiar landmark at The Inside Scoop in Coopersburg during Chip’s welcome party over Memorial Day weekend.
Families gathered despite rainy weather to celebrate the return of Chip, the popular ice cream statue that has become a staple for many Lehigh Valley residents.
“It’s kind of a staple at this point, so it’s nice that he’s back,” one customer said.
Another visitor added, “Now he’s back up and we can come by and have a great time.”
Chip was damaged during a storm in February that split the statue in two.
Chip, the beloved mascot of The Inside Scoop, falls victim to strong winds
Jason, who was inside the shop with his son Alex when the storm hit, recalled seeing the aftermath.
“He was laying on the ground, so we went out and looked at him, and his legs were there, and his body was not,” he said.
After the statue was damaged, owner Penny Caciolo said community members offered financial support to help repair Chip.
“We had people wanting to go fund it, and I’m like, no, no, no, we’ll be okay,” Caciolo said.
The artist who originally created Chip returned to repair the statue and place him back outside the shop with his ice cream scooper in hand.
+2
Beloved ice cream shop mascot damaged by high winds has been restored
Caciolo said she was thankful to see so many customers attend the welcome celebration.
“I just want to thank our customers for always being supportive and just my staff and the fun we’ve had. I’ve been here 17 years and we love it,” she said.
The celebration will continue through Memorial Day weekend with two new sundaes available for customers to enjoy.
Caciolo said if Chip ever falls again, the shop will be ready to put him right back up.