It’s easy to drive by and not notice anything. The exterior walls are silent.

But behind the doors of the once-famous brick house, little elves are hammering out work akin to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.Floor plans are finalized and electrical conduit is being laid for the return of some of the sweetest things this side of heaven — the legendary Atomic sundae and maybe even those sweet lemon pies with mile-high meringue.Leiby’s Ice Cream House & Restaurant of South Tamaqua is making a comeback, thanks to new owners, carpenter John Leiby and his wife, the former Helen Tracy, and industrious son Dan.The West Penn Township family has been working at the site since May 26, when they purchased four parcels that make up the 848 W. Penn Pike location from KMAR Properties for $495,000.UnexpectedDan, 26, said the project has been full of surprises, starting with a mysterious white exterior coating covering the red bricks.“It won’t come off,” he said. “We did a large amount of sandblasting ... we tried burning it.”John, 57, said the material has resisted all removal attempts.“It’s some kind of rubberized paint. It didn’t even blister,” he said.Another issue was water damage and dampness. At one point, vandals removed copper tubing in the basement, causing a water leak. Not just any leak. Water may have been running through the basement for eight years before it was discovered and repairs were made.But the Leiby family realized all along there’d be hurdles.“We knew coming into it that it was going to be a lot of work,” said John, who lost 30 pounds over the past year.“I’m back to what I weighed at 25,” he said, laughing.TraditionThe original Leiby’s Restaurant opened in May 1965 and was operated by the Zimmerman family.The place became a local icon. By the 1970s, it was the place to be, drawing crowds hungry for club sandwiches, dinners, desserts and wholesome atmosphere. However, after changing hands and seeing a decline, the restaurant went out of business on Dec. 2, 2007.A sign posted to a rear door and dated Nov. 28, 2007, indicates the restaurant would close due to “business circumstances. Our last day of business will be Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007.”The worn message thanks employees for their dedication and service and wishes them well in the future.The Leibys hope to put up a new sign: “Welcome. We’re back!”The John Leiby family is very familiar with the eatery’s history. The Leiby and Zimmerman families are related.“I was here when Floyd (Zimmerman) was building this place,” said John, whose dad, Bert, is Floyd’s cousin.The 16,000-square-foot building has 8,200 square feet of restaurant space on the main level.The Leibys expect it to seat 226 customers, similar to the past. There will be two dining rooms, booth seating, ice cream counter and takeout area.“The gift shop will be back and pies, too,” said Dan. They might even offer cakes and ice cream cakes, something the original Leiby’s didn’t have.AtomicMany standard menu items will return, including the much-talked-about Atomic sundae, a gastronomical challenge consisting of 32 ounces of ice cream, chocolate syrup, banana, peanuts, whipped cream and topped with a cherry. (A standing joke: The diet conscious would simply tell the server to hold the cherry.)The famous Atomic was simply too much ice cream for the average person and typically was shared by two or more people. An Atomic sold for $1.35 back in 1972, according to a copy of the original menu.The Leiby family will be looking to hire staff. So far, they’ve interviewed more than 200 prospective cooks, servers and others. A pleasant surprise, some of the original Leiby’s employees are expected to return.Many of the applicants are young people, perhaps looking to become part of something special their parents talked about so often.“I think the entire Tamaqua (marching) band came here. I was amazed by the turnout,” said John. Applications are still being accepted and those interested are encouraged to check the restaurant’s Facebook page.TimetableOf course, just about everybody wants to know the opening date, and the Leibys said if it were up to them, the place already would be open.But there have been just too many prerequisites to be met and hurdles to overcome.“We got our zoning permits, building permits and sewage permits. We have to get flooring down soon,” said Dan, explaining that much depends on the timetable of subcontractors and therefore an exact opening is difficult to nail down.They were hoping to be up and running by Thanksgiving or even sooner. But there are still some question marks.In any case, it’s safe to say Leiby’s Restaurant will return by 2017, 10 years after it closed.The restaurant plans to be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.The Leiby family wants to see the site return to its role as the popular destination after football games, school and class plays, funerals, weddings, and all of the events that define the lives of local residents.With ample parking, the place also was a routine stop for bus tours and accommodated large groups.Back then, Leiby’s Restaurant was a time-honored destination and a celebration of the good food and delightfully decadent desserts everybody loves.John, Helen and Dan Leiby are convinced it can happen again.More information can be found on Leiby’s website,

www.leibysrestaurant.com/news.