Capannari store has new name, renewed lease with Mount Prospect

Lovers of Capannari Ice Cream will continue to enjoy its classic flavors at the downtown Mount Prospect location for at least the remainder of the decade and possibly beyond.

The business has a new lease with its landlord, the village of Mount Prospect, at 10 S. Pine St., in the historic former general store building. But that isn't all that is new — the store will now operate as Cap's Ice Cream.

The family-owned business, a Mount Prospect mainstay since 2001, has a new owner, Meg Dix. Her uncle and aunt, Jim and Meg Capannari, and her mother and father, Ken and Katie Dolan Dix, founded the business.

The new lease runs for another five years with an option for another five-year extension.

“I realized it was my time to exit,” said Katie Dolan Dix.

At the same time, Meg Dix is faithful to the store’s roots.

The vision was to create “a place for the community to gather — just a fun place where kids could run around and families could catch up,” she said. “That’s what it’s been for 25 years. It’s never changed.”

Since its inception, the business has grown to include a wholesale and catering operation.

Capannari Ice Cream employs more than 25 people, producing much of its product at the Kensington Business Center.

The strategy behind the rebranding is for Cap's to handle the retail side while Capannari Ice Cream handles wholesale and catering.

Under the new lease, approved Tuesday, rent is $21 per square foot for year one, increasing annually with the rate of inflation. Cap's will pay $1,575 monthly ($18,900 annually) for the 900-square-foot facility and cover all utilities, insurance, and fees.

While maintaining the restaurant's core identity, Dix plans some modest updates including fresh paint and refreshed menu boards.

“The community has been backing us since 2001, and I think it’s staying in the family as a business is just going to show the community that we're here for the long run,” Meg Dix said.