Treat yourself at this historic Long Island ice cream spot celebrating 70 years of service
LIDO BEACH, New York -- I scream, you scream, we all scream for Marvel Frozen Dairy!
This Long Beach dessert staple has generations of families coming back year after year for their legendary frozen treats.
In 1951, the Papageorge family opened its doors as a small custard stand, selling custard and hot dogs.
The Kastafouros family then purchased it in 1986, incorporating additional flavor and other frozen treats.
"Were actually the third Greek-American family that's owned this business," said Stavri Fragioudakis, who is the current owner of Marvel Frozen Dairy after her uncle sold it to her family.
"Were very happy to be here. It's a very fun business," said Fragioudakis. "It makes people happy to see a smile on a child's face when you hand them an ice cream cone just makes your day a little bit brighter."
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It's hard to miss the iconic Marvel Frozen Dairy structure while driving down Lido Blvd -- with its red and white coloring and 5-foot ice cream cone figurine standing proudly on their roof.
On the menu, you can find regular ice cream, non-fat frozen dairy ice cream, floats, slushies, sundaes, ice cream cakes, and most recently, a few vegan flavors.
However, one of their most best-selling treats is a classic vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles.
"I feel like the mom and pop shops bring us back to when we were kids," said Ronya Bell, who was on her way back from the beach with her family.
"I don't think our kids get that enough anymore, and they miss that let's stop at an ice cream shop," said Bell. "I don't think you get that at a Carvel or a Dairy Queen, and it kind of brings them back down to what the real part of summer is."
Bell, who is originally from California, says that Marvel ice cream reminds her of home and is always a pit-stop with her family on their way home from the beach.
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On a Friday night, you'll most likely see a line wrapping around the block for customers waiting to get their frozen treat. A second location was recently opened right on the Long Beach boardwalk.
Customers order at one of several windows, just like the original location.
Fragioudakis encourages anyone who loves a tasty treat to cool off on a hot day to visit the historic store and is thankful for the loyal customers who have been enjoying their ice cream for several generations.
"We're very proud to be here and be a part of this wonderful community," said Fragioudakis. "It's a refreshing spot in the summer to cool off."
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Contact Community Journalist Alex Ciccarone
