Back row, from left, new Frite & Scoop owners Cory Francis, Marissa Lane-Massee, Kathleen Strecker and Tom Strecker. Front row, Kevin Malcolm and Lisa Malcolm.

Lisa and Kevin Malcolm will pass their handmade ice cream and french fries shop Frite & Scoop on to four friends on Oct. 1.

Lisa Malcolm said the only specialty ice cream shop in Astoria shouldn’t change much with the new ownership.

“Hokey Pokey isn’t going anywhere,” Malcolm said about the fan-favorite honeycomb toffee ice cream.

The buyers — Tom and Kathleen Strecker, Marissa Lane-Massee and Cory Francis — intend to keep the shop on 14th Street at the Astoria Riverwalk as it is, with the same flavors of ice cream and french fry dipping sauces and the same staff.

The Malcolms dedicated September to training the Streckers how to make their eclectic flavors and getting them acquainted with the business.

The Streckers daughter, Julia, brought the four buyers together.

Julia was one of the first Frite & Scoop employees when it opened in 2014. Her parents told the Malcolms that they’d like to buy the shop if it ever came time to sell.

When Julia went to the University of Oregon in 2018, she met Lane-Massee and Francis in the marching band. They became such good friends that they are set to be the maid of honor and best man at Julia’s wedding.

“They have tried Frite & Scoop, too, and they love it,” Tom Strecker said. “Whenever they found out that we were looking into purchasing it and potentially being interested in having partners in that venture they were immediately on board with us to go for it.”

The Malcolms asked interested buyers to write a letter with their plans for the business. The group shared their love for the products and hopes to continue what the Malcolms started.

“We chose the one we thought was the best and it turned out to be people we’ve known for a really long time already,” Malcolm said.

The Streckers said that while they don’t plan to change much in the Astoria location, they do hope to bring the products they love to more people. They have a portable cart to sell ice cream at markets and events. Lane-Massee and Francis live in Lincoln City and are interested in opening a second location there.

For now, they’re focused on a smooth transition. Tom Strecker has served as general manager of Medix Ambulance Service. Kathleen Strecker, a former editor of Coast Weekend at The Astorian, has worked as a technical writer and voice actor.

“People should feel confident that they can walk into Frite & Scoop after Oct. 1 and it will be the exact same as it was on Sept. 30,” Strecker said.