Ice cream store serving up new game along with treats

As the makers of the new Befudiom game try to get the word out about their product, they're taking a cue from Cranium.

Cranium, which now has one of the most popular group of games in the country, started out in Starbucks stores, with makers placing their games on the cafes tables for people to try and selling them there as well.

Everyday Edisons, which makes Befudiom -- a game about idioms -- is letting people try out the product in MaggieMoo's Ice Cream and Treatery stores across the country.

You can get your sneak peek at the MaggieMoo's in South Elgin, where owner Diane Jacobsen said she's already had several families sit down and try out the game as they enjoy their ice cream.

"Making the game available for play in MaggieMoo's treateries was a no-brainer," said Everyday Edison's Meredith Beck. "MaggieMoo's offers a unique family atmosphere -- even more so than other ice cream chains -- which is a perfect fit for our family-friendly game."

MaggieMoo's has been open in South Elgin since April 2005, and has become a popular family destination for its tasty ice cream and fun creations such as ice cream cupcakes.

Jacobsen had taken her daughter out to Phoenix a few years ago to visit her brother. While there, they visited a MaggieMoo's, and Jacobsen and her brother joked that they'd like to buy one for her mother because she was bored and it would give her something to do.

Jacobsen ended up buying her daughter's birthday cake there, and loved the atmosphere and the ice cream, and she was sold. When she got back home to Illinois, she decided to open her own franchise.

"MaggieMoo's has a wide variety of awesome cakes, ice cream cupcakes, and Maggie-O's available for carryout. The Befudiom game is one of the newest items featured at our store," Jacobsen said.

What could be better? Shoes and dessert together -- it's a dream come true for some.

On Oct. 3, go to the Privo event at Clarks Shoes in Algonquin Commons for a night of desserts and a preview of the fall 2007 shoe collection.

At the event, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m., you'll get to shop, and there will be discounts, gifts and special offers.

Now open: With nearly two months to go, you can get all of your Halloween preparations done.

The new Spirit Halloween store now is open at Algonquin Commons.