When Vincent Petryk opened J.P. Licks in 1981, he wanted to make people happy through the power and comfort of ice cream. Today, the award-winning ice cream shop has 17 locations in and around Greater Boston, all of which are certified kosher. 

Petryk, who is not Jewish, has made it his mission to connect with the people who live in the eclectic neighborhoods that house his stores. From experimenting with pad thai ice cream to offering home-roasted coffee grounds for composting to donating thousands of dollars to countless charities, J.P. Licks continues to support the community. 

Petryk was joined by Adele Traub, J.P. Licks’s marketing manager, to discuss their new hamantaschen, catering to the tastes of Boston’s ethnically diverse community, their mutual love of kugel and, of course, ice cream.

From left: Ashley Jacobs, J.P. Licks owner Vincent Petryk and Kali Foxman (Photo: Miriam Anzovin)
From left: Ashley Jacobs, J.P. Licks owner Vincent Petryk and Kali Foxman (Photo: Miriam Anzovin)

Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.