This summer, Chaps celebrated its 40th anniversary since opening in 1985. Chaps included the Charlottesville community with a scratcher ticket after every purchase. The scratchers give the customers a chance to win prizes like free sprinkles, a scoop of ice cream, and the “Golden Ticket”: Free ice cream for a year.
Chaps has employed many in the community of all ages. Pia Tavernise, a CHS senior, and her sister, Elaina Tavernise, a CHS graduate, are both current employees at Chaps.
Pia Tavernise has worked at Chaps Ice Cream Shop over the last two summers. Her favorite ice cream flavor is Coffee Raspberry, a signature Chaps Flavor. Pia wanted to work at Chaps because “My sister worked [at Chaps] so I was following in her footsteps, but also I live really close to downtown so it’s perfect walking distance.”
Pia says she loves to work at Chaps. “We do get unlimited ice cream… and I like interacting with the people and customers that come in and talking with them, everyone is so nice.” Pia has had lots of fun conversations with customers of many ages. “[Older] Customers do come in… and they’ll be like, ‘yeah, I used to work here as a teenager! It’s crazy, it’s been around for so long!’’ Pia remembers fondly.
A former Employee, Mr. Early, a CHS Math teacher, worked at Chaps from 2005 to 2016, while in high school, all the way up to his first year teaching at Charlottesville Middle School, formally known as Buford Middle School.
“It was the first job I ever applied for. I really wanted to get a job and start learning how to work.” Said Mr. Early. “My mom had me put on a nice polo shirt, and go down [to Chaps].”
This was the first time Mr. Early met “Grannie”, who is now retired but worked for chaps for many decades and is a Charlottesville native
“My first impression were how loud she was. When I first started working there, she had just turned sixty, and she moved as fast as any of us did,” Mr. Early then chuckled, “faster often, and she’ll fuss at you to get out of her way.” Grannie left a positive impression on not only Mr. Early, but everyone who walked through the Chaps door. “She would never fail to take the time to chat with the customers.”
Mr. Early worked with Grannie almost every Sunday during the school year from noon to night. “She’d always go to CVS and get a chocolate bar on her break.” Mr. Early remembers. “Grannie became to me as much as a part of my family and my mom or my grandma.”
Mr. Early is one of the few who know Grannie’s real name and will never tell.
When asked about his favorite part of working at Chaps, “Honestly, the people I worked with, especially in later years,” reminisced Mr. Early, “I worked with some of Mrs. Brown’s Daughters.”
Mr. Early also worked with Tony Labua, the founder and former owner of Chaps. “He taught me a lot about having a good work ethic and just keeping things going. He had a lot of things he was very particular about.”
Mr. Early learned how to work a grill from those who were former kitchen staff. “I’d just go back there, and say ‘hey, teach me how to make something today’”. From the kitchen staff, Mr. Early learned how to make some basic foods like hot dogs, burgers, and chicken quesadillas.
Mr. Early still loves to go to chaps whenever he can. “I don’t eat other ice cream because it’s just not as good.”
The day before school started, Mr. Early went for his lunch break downtown to get lunch, classroom supplies, and a milkshake from Chaps.
“When I went in there, [Elaina Tavernise], who I taught a couple of years ago, was [working] there.” Mr. Early then asked her when she was going back to college. Elaina did not recognize him at first, but they happily greeted him and asked him how he was doing.
There have been many changes since the opening of Chaps Ice cream shop, but the soul is still the small town charm it had when it first opened, and still has 40 years later. Chaps is more than just an ice cream shop, it’s a staple of the Charlottesville community and a beloved part of the downtown mall. So when you go next to the downtown mall, make sure to visit Chaps, have some ice cream or a milkshake, and appreciate the history and love stored inside the ice cream parlor.
