Officially opened Feb. 9 and part of a foodie complex to come, The Magic Bus Ice Cream & Caffeine hosted a ribbon-cutting with the SanCap Chamber on Feb. 27 at 362 Periwinkle Way on Sanibel Island’s East End. Along with Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant, expected to open early March, The Magic Bus is a combined endeavor of four island restaurateurs.
“This joint venture between The Mad Hatter and The Island Cow has been such a great partnership,” said part-owner Bridget Kolshak. “The responses we continue to receive from our loyal customers are so supportive. They cheer us on and let us know how excited they are.”
Bridget and Max Kolshak formerly owned The Mad Hatter, which Hurricane Ian wiped out. Friends and partners Brian and Elke Podlasek operated The Island Cow before fire destroyed it in August 2022. Both couples plan on reopening their original respective restaurants.
“But opening The Magic Bus and Wickies was a perfect opportunity for us to stay connected with the community until we each wait to restore our lost businesses,” said Kolshak.
The Magic Bus serves coffee and an array of sweet treats like ice cream, smoothies, pastries, and candy. Signature offerings include the Magic Milkshake, Too Groovy Sundae, and Beach Bucket, an actual sand pail filled with ice cream, sunglasses, a shovel, and toppings.
“The Magic Bus truly sweetens the islands’ outlook with delicious treats and a fun theme that can’t help but make you smile,” said John Lai, SanCap Chamber president and CEO. “Solid applause for the Kolshaks and Podlaseks. We look forward to their opening of Wickies and the resurrection of their two longtime dining legends.”
“The chamber has been very supportive in helping us get our businesses back up and running and helping navigate connections with the city, and we thank them for that,” said Kolshak.
ABOUT SANCAP CHAMBER
The SanCap Chamber is dedicated to promoting the prosperity of its members and preserving the quality of life of our community. The Chamber plays a key role in facilitating communication and cooperation between business, residents, and government to enhance the economic health of the islands. Its website, sanibel-captiva.org, receives over 1.3 million visits per year. For more information about the chamber, visit sanibel-captiva.org or contact John Lai, president and CEO, at 239-472-2348 or [email protected].
