Scooping up another Handel’s franchise

CEO’s daughter now owns Broadview Heights location

by Melissa Martin

In some families, cherished heirlooms like fine linens and silverware are passed down from one generation to the next. In others, property is kept in the family for as long as anyone can remember.

For Leigh Jaffer, the new owner of the Broadview Heights Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream and Yogurt, the family treasure is ice cream.

The homemade frozen treat became the family business in 1985 after Jaffer’s father, Len Fisher, purchased the now famous Handel’s Ice Cream parlor in Youngstown from Alice Handel upon her retirement.

In 1945, Handel began serving ice cream in her husband’s gas station. Not only was it handmade daily using old-fashioned recipes Handel used fresh fruit from her own back yard. In addition to passing along the store, she handed down her treasured recipe, which all Handel’s locations continue to use to make more than 100 flavors.

“The only thing was, there wasn’t a recipe book back then,” Jaffer said, laughing. “She didn’t have one. She just knew how to make it and never measured anything.”

Jaffer said her father, now Handel’s CEO, was a quick study who took good notes and transformed a single location into more than 50 franchises in nine states.

Handel’s locations offer up to 48 flavors made on site. Fistfuls of nuts, creamy caramel, dark chocolate, fresh fruits and fluffy marshmallows are blended into each batch drawn from specially designed machines.

Jaffer began scooping ice cream at her parents’ Youngstown Handel’s parlor when she was just 13. She worked her way up to the corporate office before buying a franchise in Austintown with her husband, Adil. They bought the store 18 years ago and decided in March to purchase the Broadview Heights location, formerly owned by Chuck and Alice Kelades.

“I trained them to make the ice cream and use the equipment back in 2001, when I was working in the corporate office and they were opening the Broadview Heights store,” Jaffer said.

Jaffer said Kelades developed a hardworking staff.

“Alice already had a wonderful team of employees in place and that allowed for a nice transition as we didn’t have to train all new employees, “she said.

During the pandemic, Jaffer said, Handel’s locations have focused on getting ice cream to customers and minimizing the chance of exposure to the virus.

The Broadview Heights store added Door Dash, which allows customers within a 5-mile radius of the store to order ice cream online and have it delivered.

To help make service even faster, Jeffers said the store is looking to add a pickup window exclusively for use by Door Dashers.

This summer customers might be able to order online and pick up ice cream at a dedicated window.

“What we’ve learned throughout COVID is that people still want all the curbside conveniences that were made available to them throughout the pandemic, so that’s the kind of service we want to provide, one that lets them continue to skip the line,” Jaffer said.

Getting more involved in the community through fundraising specials and catering ranks high on Jaffer’s to-do list. She plans to offer fundraisers in which customers purchase pints of ice cream at regular menu price, with a school getting a portion of each sale.

She also wants to do ice cream catering for weddings, graduations and other events. Personalized pints and grab-and-go items, such as Handel pops and ice cream sandwiches, are expected to be included among the offerings, Jaffer said.

“We are so happy to be in Broadview Heights,” she said. “This is a great community and we’re looking forward to getting to know the people here.” ∞