SKOWHEGAN — An ice cream shop may return to “The Island” in Skowhegan.

The Island Dairy Treat, as the stand was known, has closed for good after 72 years. But the new owner of the property, who purchased it this month, said he intends to lease the building at 23 Island Ave. to an ice cream stand.

“It is our intention to still continue to run this as some sort of an ice cream stand,” said Jay McGuire, who, according to a recorded deed, acquired the property with Kathleen McGuire.

McGuire, who splits time between Connecticut and a part-time residence in the area, declined to share specifics of the new business or who would operate it in a phone interview Wednesday. But he said he wanted to share his intentions for the property after hearing speculation from area residents about the future of the local landmark.

The former owners of the business, however, say they would not have closed the seven-decade-old business if they had the choice.

After 72 years in business, the Island Dairy Treat announced its permanent closure Sunday, according to a Facebook post from the business’ page. The ice cream stand had closed for the season Aug. 31.

Jason and Shannon Curtis’ family operated the business at 23 Island Ave. for the last eight summers. They were the seventh family to serve up frozen treats at the stand on the island, which had slightly different names over the years, Jason Curtis said.

The husband and wife say they never wanted the Island Dairy Treat to close for good, but McGuire’s plans essentially forced it closure.

“Not allowing the business to continue wasn’t our choice,” Jason Curtis said in an interview Tuesday outside the former dairy treat, standing with his wife. “That was his choice.”

When reached Monday via email, Jason Curtis said he would not answer any questions about the closure — or anything else. In an interview Tuesday, he said he should not have to defend a business decision against other people’s opinions.

But after seeing hundreds of comments on both his business’ Facebook page and a Morning Sentinel story posted to various community Facebook groups, some of which were critical of the decision to close, Curtis said he felt obligated to share his family’s side of the story.

Jason and Shannon Curtis are lifelong Skowhegan area residents, and owning the iconic ice cream stand for the last eight years was their way of preserving a piece of treasured local history. The two said they had hoped to pass the business along to another family at some point, in the same way they came to own the business.

Jason Curtis, who works for Allied Equipment, and Shannon Curtis, a teacher, ran the business with their children while working their full-time jobs. Running the Island Dairy Treat consumed their lives during the summer months, they said.

Sydney Curtis, left, and father Jason, of Skowhegan’s Island Dairy Treat, make a sundae in 2021. The Curtis family announced Sunday on social media that the business has closed permanently. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel file

For most of their time owning the business, the Curtises rented the building from Thomas Miller of Madison. The previous land and business owner, Harold Snow, had offered to sell the property when they bought the business, but the family could not afford to buy it.

Renting from Miller, the Curtises said they never had a formal lease and paid rent month to month, leaving them on the hook to maintain the property.

“Is it smart to run a business with no lease, month to month? Why would we do that?” Jason Curtis said. “Because of the business, because of the history, because of the community. We felt comfortable enough to know that the community is going to support us.”

Miller did not answer two phone calls Wednesday, and a voicemail box for his number was full.

The property went on the market this spring. Meanwhile, the Curtis family decided they were ready to move on from the business.

“For eight years, we were done,” Jason Curtis said. “We’re done putting our own money into keeping this history, and the business, and the building, updated and up to code and upkeep. We’re tired.”

Listed at $189,000, the property — not the business — sold to the McGuires for $135,000, according to an online real estate listing. Curtis said he could not afford the listing price, but was never offered the lower price, so his family did not try to buy the property to preserve the business.

In this 2021 photo, Averie Turner, 4, is served a vanilla cone with sprinkles, while getting a cold treat with brother Paxton, 7, left, and grandpa Randy Turner, right, at the Island Dairy Treat in Skowhegan. The Curtis family announced Sunday on social media that the business has closed permanently. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel file

With McGuire as the new owner, Jason and Shannon Curtis said they offered to sell him the business — for what they said was a low price — or to work with him as they attempted to sell the business to prospective buyers who had expressed interest.

But, according to them, McGuire said the business as it was could only stay if the Curtises continued to operate it as they did under previous ownership.

Reached via telephone Wednesday, McGuire declined to discuss his talks about the business with the Curtis family, saying that he did not want to create a “he said, she said” disagreement.

The Curtises ultimately made the decision to close the business, leaving the future of the Island Dairy Treat out of their hands.

“It’s more than pissed, we were hurt,” said Shannon Curtis, standing outside the former ice cream shop on Island Avenue on Tuesday. “We wanted to keep that tradition alive.”

“We grew up here in this town,” Jason Curtis cut in. “This is the only ice cream place that we ever came to get ice cream. So, to own it for eight years was amazing.

“I still want to come here and get ice cream, but now I can’t do that. Because we can’t pass the business on like six families did before us.”

All the equipment inside the shop — from freezers to spoons — has been sold, Jason Curtis said. All signage was removed; the large roadside sign was donated to the Smithfield Grange, he said.

The Curtises said they hope McGuire succeeds with whatever he does with the new property, even with their recent frustration.

“Maybe it’s going to be an ice cream shop,” Jason Curtis said. “But it’s not going to be the Island Dairy Treat that it has been for 72 years.”

McGuire, meanwhile, said he enjoys spending time in the Skowhegan area community — and ice cream.

“I really love Skowhegan,” he said. “I think, for the most part, the people that I’ve met there are wonderful.”