'50s-themed parlor has the scoop on kids' parties BY TAMMY McKILLIP Correspondent Carmela Danna is too young to remember the happy days of bobby socks, bubble gum and drive-in movie theaters, but she knows a cute franchise idea when she sees one. Little Scoops owners Carmela Danna (l) and her sister, Maria Lidondici, stand along one of the many decorated walls in their new business. When she and her sister, Old Bridge resident and mother of three Maria Lidondici, decided to open a business together, they went for the feel-good-themed ice cream parlor Little Scoops. "I like the style," she said of the Ushaped ice cream bar with kid-sized bar stools. "There's a black and white checkered floor, and old albums are stapled all over the walls in our celebration room." Danna, who recently left a banking career to pursue entrepreneurship, said opening a birthday and specialty scoop shop was a great idea because she figured, "Hey, everyone loves their birthday!" Hosting the store's grand-opening celebration on Sept. 30, Danna said she loved the idea of working with kids and that she and her sister had planned many games and activities for birthday and special occasion celebrations. "When we bring the kids into the celebration room, they can choose age-appropriate activities or games, or they can choose a theme," she said. "We have plenty of themes to choose from, such as princess, pirate or superhero, or arts and crafts." She said all of the shop's ice cream flavors - including vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mint chocolate chip, cookie dough and cotton candy - were Edy's brand ice cream and would be served along with pizza, sodas and juice at the parties. "We even have a CD jukebox," she said. Little Scoops is located in the Stop & Shop shopping plaza at 1121 Route 34, Aberdeen. Parties are priced at $299 for the first 10 children and $14 per each extra person. There is a minimum of 10 children during the week and 15 during the weekend. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Tuesdays staying open until 6 p.m. Weekends are reserved for parties exclusively. Call (732) 566-0404 for reservations. For more information, visit www.littlescoops.com.