Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream is opening an outpost at 145 Avenue A and Ninth Street.
There has been activity inside the space, with equipment looking like more ice cream might be on the way.
While there hasn't been an official announcement of this arrival, the expanding company has several new outposts planned this year... and 145 Avenue A is now on the Ralph's website...
This business dates to 1928 when Ralph Silvestro started selling Italian ice (or water ice) from his truck around Staten Island. The first retail store opened in 1949 on Port Richmond Avenue in Staten Island. In recent years the company has franchised out, expanding to other parts of NYC as well as Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester County.
Ralph's takes over for Gelarto, which closed early last summer after a rocky two years selling gelato on the corner.
Thanks to @DanMarcustweets!
Same space, same product, same fate.
ReplyDeleteNot a huge fan of Italian ice but Ralph's is the kind of place I like--unpretentious.
ReplyDeleteNOT same product - Ralph's is really amazing. They have classic ices all the way up to flavors like Key Lime Pie, each that have fillings and toppings that make it a dessert like no other I've had in NYC. Their uptown location was always hidden under an awning and we would get delivery, and they would always check in with us to ensure that we got the right combination of ingredients we wanted. Just a sweet business, from product to people. Will make a wonderful addition to the neighborhood and the corner.
ReplyDeleteThey are good but pricey. I just went to the one on 2nd Avenue & 22nd Street. They raised their price from last year on a small cup from $4.30 to $4.75. Still a treat though.
ReplyDeleteFun!
ReplyDeleteAlways the same grumps. Ralph's is a great place, excellent product with happy, friendly service. Looking forward to them and welcome!
ReplyDeleteLet me correct my previous statement. Same product means frozen treats are seasonal. The last place was vert good quality too, it could not survive the winter months.
ReplyDeleteLocation, this is an ICON property, this space is not leasing for cheap on top of that this is an ICON property, beware small business owners.
Same fate, Avenue A foot traffic in no way is high enough to keep seasonal, tourists aimed business afloat. This location may look great on paper but the new business owners should have asked neighboring businesses about the space before leasing it.
Now that we don't have seasons, it shouldn't be a problem! ;)
ReplyDeleteI'd rather have more coffee.
ReplyDeletemeh, frozen corn syrup. I didn't like the gelato either, but at least it wasn't poison.
ReplyDeleteAgreed with neolani, another obvious flaw is that there are already 4-5 local dessert/frozen treat places within 2 blocks of the old gelarto spot.
ReplyDeleteSeeing life in an empty storefront is always better than walking past an empty one (which would probably be tagged by vandals). Village Square pizza has brought some life to this block, maybe this place will entice someone now to rent the arepas place
ReplyDeleteRalph‘s used to have a location on 24th Street and Lexington Avenue in a tiny window style store, then moved to 22nd and 2nd to a larger space. Both locations have been traffic magnets with long lines of customers — not tourists, but local residents, especially students and families with children. People seem to come from all over just to buy a cup or a cone. This is good quality old-fashioned ices and ice cream with generous sized servings, not gelato. Their service is what makes them special, with the feel of a real family-run business. This is a tough location for any business but Ralph’s could make it work, and I hope they make it.
ReplyDeleteSo sad how they painted over the 9/11 memorial
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to an empty storefront having patronage again! Who doesn't like an Italian ice on a warm day? And does anything in the city cost less than $4.75 these days? How can you complain about that?? Leave it to the EVGrumps!
ReplyDeleteRalph's is a great addition to the neighborhood (or the 'hood or the nabe depending on your preferred slang). Their ice cream is delicious, and their multiple flavors and concoctions are a throwback to the days of Carvel Ice Cream, which used to be in every neighborhood, but have disappeared into the suburbs/burbs/sticks. Now this corner will have new life.
ReplyDelete