“Living in Philly” interview series where realtor Cherise Wynne (“Agent Lady”) highlights interesting people & organizations in the civic, real estate, restaurant and lifestyle space that help first time home buyers navigate our great city of Philadelphia.
Meet Chris Maguire, Proprietor at Tubby Robot Ice Cream Factory
Agent Lady: In regards to Tubby Robot, when people ask that famous question “what do you do”, how do you typically answer?
Chris: Here at Tubby Robot, we’re focused on creating unique ice cream sundaes and fostering a love for great games. All of our ice cream is 100% homemade in our shop with the freshest local ingredients available.
Agent Lady: What does Tubby Robot do, what neighborhood(s) does it provide products/services in, and what do you find special about those Philly areas?
Chris: Our shop is located on Main Street in Manayunk, which is a wonderful neighborhood to live ( and eat ) in. There are roughly 40 different restaurants within walking distance! Manayunk is unique because it tends to act as a gateway for northwest Philadelphia to the rest of the region. We receive visitors from all over the world – in the past week alone, we’ve served people from South Africa, Germany, and North Carolina.
Agent Lady: How do you believe Tubby Robot is making Philadelphia better?
Chris: Aside from the traditional societal benefits of establishing a locally owned business such as job creation and property restoration, we’re extremely proud to be one of the few places in the region that offers Belgian waffle sundaes. We discovered that it was difficult to find waffle sundaes anywhere in Philadelphia prior to our opening, and we firmly believe that the city is richer for the inclusion.
Agent Lady: If you had to choose between a Philly cheesesteak or a Philly pretzel, what would you choose?
Chris: They are very different beasts for very different situations, but we’d have to go with cheesesteaks — you just can’t beat a well-prepared steak.
Agent Lady: What’s the biggest misconception people have about your industry or type of organization?
Chris: Most people don’t realize how much work goes into creating homemade ice cream. Making a batch of ice cream is a 2-3 day process depending on the flavor, and it’s common to run out of several flavors on a busy weekend. We have to work hard to replenish our stock every week because people keep buying it all up!
Agent Lady: What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time?
Chris: There’s a wide array of options to choose from, but one of the nerdiest things I do is watch video game speedrunners online. Speedrunners compete to finish games as quickly as humanly possible, and they often take popular games apart in exciting ways you’d never imagine as a casual player.
Agent Lady: What is your favorite word?
Chris: “Hyperbole” is a pretty great word, and it’s something we like to use a lot of when describing our ice cream.
Agent Lady: If you had to pick another career what would it be?
Chris: If I had to do something else, I’d probably explore being an independent video game developer. There’s an allure to the idea of holing up for a few years of grueling work and emerging with something fun to share with the public at large.
Agent Lady: For anyone looking to buy their first home in Philly or move to the Philly area, what do you have to say to them?
Chris: Philadelphia is amazing! We have beautiful parks, delicious food, and passionate residents. Our neighborhoods each exude their own specific character, so be sure to check out as many as you can. Send your kids to public school!
Agent Lady: If someone wanted to learn more about you or Tubby Robot, where could they go?
Chris: Learn more about us at http://www.tubbyrobot.com , which has links to our various social media presences and updated lists of our current flavors and video games!
Last Words
Special shout out to Chris for taking the time out of his busy schedule helping the community, to come share and have fun with us in our interview series. We’re really appreciative to have you reside and add value and fun to our city, so thank you for the hard work.
If you’re reading this and it inspired you, please share with your network, and show Chris some love on social media. Until next time, stay awesome people!
About Agent Lady: Cherise Wynne is a leading real estate agent in Philadelphia, helping home buyers and sellers navigate the City of Brotherly Love, with a special focus on first time home buyers. To chat about getting started with your first time home buying experience, call 215-518-5193 or click here.
