The owner of a popular South Tamaqua eatery that stopped offering meals in August said the reopening of the kitchen is in the works.

“There’s still some stuff to be hammered out but the goal is to be providing full service in the near future,” said Daniel Leiby of Leiby’s Ice Cream House and Restaurant, 848 West Penn Pike (Route 309).

Even though it curtailed kitchen operations in the summer, Leiby’s continues to serve ice cream, sundaes, milkshakes, baked goods and a variety of grab-and-go items.

But moving forward, Leiby said the restaurant will revise its menu.

“That doesn’t mean we are changing what we do or how we do it, but more of how much we do it and when,” he explained. “Favorites like our croquettes, as an example, will still be made in-house and will be exactly the same, but they may not be part of the all-day, everyday menu offering and will instead be offered as a periodic ‘special’ item.”

When Leiby powered down the kitchen in the summer, he based his decision on a number of factors, with “timing” being first and foremost.

“I see a lot of banter about staffing issues,” he said. “While vaguely valid, I have not and will not blame that as the reason we are where we are in that regard, because it’s simply not the case. Yes, staffing in this industry is tough, but I am not (nor should any employer) going to fault people who are furthering their education or prioritizing their family over a side job.

“This circumstance happened for good reasons for these folks, and we wish them the best in life.”

As the reopening date — which hasn’t yet been decided — draws nearer, Leiby said he’s looking to build a team.

Anyone interested in becoming a dishwasher, cook, server or host/hostess, should message him on Facebook, through the restaurant’s website or by calling 570-225-7117.

Leiby’s is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays.