Emily Considine
You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream! The sun is shining and it’s time for that hot fudge sundae. Normal, Illinois offers a great ice cream shop that is conveniently close to Illinois Wesleyan’s campus, Emack & Bolio’s.
Emack & Bolio’s was founded in 1975 in Boston when Bob Rook, a music lawyer, wanted to create a space that musicians could go to chill out after their shows.
Rook has worked closely with famous bands such as Aerosmith, Boston, The Cars, U2, James Brown and Al Green. The shop has a rock and roll theme as well as some rockin’ treats.
The ice cream magicians at Emack & Bolio’s are always keeping things fresh and they get their inspiration for new creative flavors from many sources.
Customers, ethnic grocery stores, dessert chefs and even Mother Nature are some of the sources they go to for inspiration. The end result is always unique outrageous flavor combinations.
Normal resident Mitch Schafer expressed his love for their diverse flavors, saying, “Emack & Bolio’s is located right by my dorm at Illinois State, since the day I discovered it my taste buds have never been the same. Simply delicious.”
If you can’t decide on which flavor you want, try the 28 scoop Emack Attack. This roughly 15 pound creation includes one scoop of every flavor of ice cream as well as every topping!
IWU senior Stephanie Buhrow loved the idea, saying, “I went there in high school with my friends and we tried the challenge. It was really hard and I didn’t finish, but I thought the idea of it was pretty awesome and unique.”
Looking for something different? Try the marshmallow-covered cones with your choice of Oreos, Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops or Fruity Pebbles. If you are a fan of rainbow or chocolate jimmies they have cones that are dipped in chocolate and then rolled in this delicious topping.
Not in the mood for ice cream or trying to be healthier? Various flavors of yogurt are also an option on the vast menu. Another reason to stop on in is Emack & Bolio’s strongly opposes using milk from cows injected with the genetically induced hormone bST, which unnaturally helps cows produce more milk. This is a danger to the cows because it increases the risk of udder infections. It is a danger to humans because it decreases the effect of antibiotics when humans need to consume them.
“When I was visiting my boyfriend in Normal recently we stopped by this ice cream shop and were told what was and was not in their desserts. I thought this was awesome and thoughtful, plus the ice cream was great!” said Peru resident Jessica Jacobson.
Pizza plus ice cream, sounds pretty good right? A hybrid of dreamy pleasures, the ice cream pizza is a totally unique and delicious. It is a “Sundae in a Slice” made with a rich brownie crust, creamy vanilla bean ice cream, Emack & Bolio’s famous hot fudge and marshmallow.
Emack & Bolio’s ice cream pizza is the perfect summertime treat for parties, cookouts and special occasions, a crowd-pleaser for both children and adults. The Ice Cream Pizza measures 12” x 12” and serves between 12–15 adults or 15–18 children.
Bloomington resident Jenny Considine said, “I ordered an ice cream pizza for my six-year-old’s birthday party last summer and it was quite the hit. I had parents asking me where I got it and the kids didn’t even talk while eating it.”
A few other specialties at Emack & Bolio’s are their fudge and chocolate, smoothies and micro-brewed soda. Their micro-brewed sodas are made in very small batches using non-filtered water, cane sugar rather than corn syrup and nothing artificial.
Emack & Bolio’s is located at 107 E. Beaufort Street, Normal, IL 61761 and can be contacted at (309) 454-9375.