A Spoonful of Sugar ice cream shop will open in Benton Park this spring

Benton Park is about to get a little sweeter when A Spoonful of Sugar opens in the old Cones + Cups space at 2800 McNair Ave. Although previous ice cream doyenne, Diane Lindsay, still owns the building, Elijah Jabari has the keys to the door. With an almost-complete degree in Business Administration and Management from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), he (at 28 years old) is jumping into his very own enterprise. “I’m 100% excited,” he said. 

Jabari would be open already if it weren’t for a delay in the St. Louis Health Department’s inspection, but any day now, with the help of his mom, DeVonshae Person (Ali) and his younger brother, Joshua Person, Jabari expects to be up and running, churning out 12 flavors of ice cream, as well as floats, shakes and malts. Dog treats made with yogurt, peanut butter and bananas are on this menu too. As for the flavors, which may change according to the seasons, expect to find everyone’s favorite, classic American candy in the mix. Snickers and Butterfinger are here, so are Almond Joys, Reese’s and Oreos. The edict, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” seems to echo between these walls. Jabari, by keeping to the fallback preferences of the national sweet tooth, seems to be a very wise young man.

As for the 900-square-foot interior, he said he hasn’t done much to change the way Lindsay left it. He is focusing on signage, getting everything in place and waiting for the health department. “This is a very big venture for me,” he said.

A Spoonful of Sugar can seat 12 inside and 18 on its patio. The ice cream shop will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.