A sweet legacy

When my husband Jake and I started dating, he told me about the little ice cream shop his family owned in Bainbridge, Ohio. He was an Arizona transplant who spent his summers in Cleveland with fond childhood memories of visiting his cousins and spending time at Cibik’s Dairy Island.

Eventually, I went on these summer trips. I remember thinking that people in the Midwest must really love their ice cream because the store was so busy. As a born-and-raised California girl, ice cream wasn’t something you look forward to, just something you’re in the mood for. At the time, I wasn’t thinking that one day Dairy Island would become such a big part of my life, but I do recall devouring a soft-serve twist on the patio surrounded by the Cibik family, imagining that one day I would get to be a Cibik too. 

Now that we live here, it feels like that was the plan all along—to be a part of the next chapter in the story of a beloved, local family business that goes all the way back to 1975, when Elaine and Rich Cibik (or as we like to call them: Grandma and Papa) bought The Chagrin Dairy Bar and renamed it Dairy Island. They had no idea that it would become a summer institution of the Chagrin Valley, serving as the backdrop for countless first dates, family gatherings, postgame celebrations and teenage hangouts. 

Fifty years later, Dairy Island continues to be a family favorite and seasonal staple. Snow could be flying on opening day and people still line up to get their first cone of the season, because it means more than ice cream. It means the beginning of summer, for new memories and Mississippi Mud Pies to be made for the next six months.

Though items on the menu have certainly changed, with additions like the Bainbridge Brownie to replacing hot food with handcrafted hard ice-cream, one thing always remains the same: Family. 

For every era, there has always been a Cibik at the helm, building upon what the Cibik before them created.

When Jake’s father took the reins in 2017, we were still living on the West Coast, and his dad was on his own for the first few years. It wasn’t until after the pandemic that the need to be close to family meant more to us than anything. So, we packed up our ginormous dog and little black cat and moved out to Ohio, inserting ourselves into the next chapter of this ice cream epic. 

I’m so happy we did, because to be a part of the Cibik family is to be a part of an entire community. My heart grows so big when someone hears my last name and recounts the incredible memories they made at Dairy Island or tries to connect the degrees of separation between family members. What makes us so great is the unwavering dedication and support from the Chagrin Valley. We know there is no way we could have done it without that.

To celebrate this enormous milestone, we want to give back to the community that made it possible by offering free ice cream for the whole summer to all those who also turn 50 this year. It’s our small way of saying thank you for allowing us to serve you and your loved ones. We hope to continue to serve your family for many more years to come. 

Cibik’s Dairy Island is located at 8295 E. Washington Street in Chagrin Falls. For more information on celebrating its 50th season, please visit DairyIsland.com or call 440-543-7382.