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After all, he's waited all year for this moment.
"When a little kid comes in and gets that little cone, they're the happiest kid in the world," said Elias of Bogota. "And that's more satisfying than making a lot of money."
Elias works in technology consulting but has always known he's wanted to pursue something food-related.
Every year, he made his clients homemade chocolates. But one year he had some leftovers, which he brought to a local Japanese restaurant.
"The owner loved them and he asked if I could make them as desserts," Elias said. "But that was too time consuming and too expensive, so I bought a little commercial ice cream maker and started making these Japanese flavors.
"And he was selling them."
Wasabi. Miso. Ginger.
Elias eventually brought his product to another Japanese restaurant in Totowa, but it wasn't long before he found his current space on Main Street in Hackensack, where he started a business of his own.
Running an ice cream shop won't make Elias rich, but he doesn't care.
"It's a hobby, it's a passion," said Elias, whose most popular flavor is salted caramel. "Ice cream doesn't change."
ICE CREAM BY MIKE IS LOCATED AT 163 MAIN STREET IN HACKENSACK AND WILL OPEN FOR SPRING ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15.
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