WRIGLEY FIELD — Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams will open its fifth Chicago outpost at the Park at Wrigley Field next year.
The Ohio-based ice cream chain will open a 2,100 square-foot ice cream shop in April, at the start of the Chicago Cubs' 2018 season. It will be the fifth Jeni's in Chicago, with others in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Old Town and Wicker Park.
"The warm embrace we've received from our customers since expanding to Chicago feels incredible," said CEO John Lowe. "I grew up in Chicago, and opening a Jeni's in the heart of Wrigleyville is a dream come true."
Lakeview's existing Jeni's is in the southport corridor, 3404 N. Southport Ave.
The ice cream chain is known for its use of whole ingredients and milk from grass-pastured cows.
To celebrate the new location, founder Jeni Britton Bauer is creating a baseball-themed ice cream flavor that will feature honey-roasted peanuts, caramel and popcorn.
The Park at Wrigley and the nearby Hotel Zachary are quickly filling with eateries from some of Chicago's favorite names in food. Folkart's Lucky Dorr and Brickhouse Tavern are already open along the triangle-shaped plaza, and Big Star and Smoke Daddy BBQ will open in the hotel next year.
Founded in 2002 in Columbus, Ohio, Jeni's has 31 scoop shops in Ohio, Nashville, Atlanta, Charleston, Los Angeles and St. Louis.
Two years ago, several of the Chicago locations closed temporarily after a listeria contamination at its production kitchen prompted Jeni's to issue a voluntary recall of all products. Although no one reported becoming ill, Lowe said at the time Jeni's production kitchen would spent at least $200,000 on updates to minimize the risk for widespread contamination.
The Cubs and Wrigley Field are 95 percent owned by an entity controlled by a trust established for the benefit of the family of Joe Ricketts, owner and CEO of DNAinfo.com. Joe Ricketts has no direct involvement in the management of the iconic team.
