New Yorkers have much to celebrate: first we got gay marriage, now we have gay ice cream! The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck, popular mobile purveyor of gourmet cones and queer cheer since 2009—is almost ready to open its first brick-and-mortar store at 125 East 7th Street. Partners Bryan Petroff and Doug Quint just need to finish all the last-minute touches—like the unicorn mural festooned with 6,000 Swarofski crystals. (Yeah, it’s that gay.)
“We’re taking gay to its ‘happy’ definition just as much as anything else,” Petroff said, noting that the “surly guys” manning Mr. Softee trucks don’t necessarily exude charm. “We wanted to bring fun back to ice cream.”
Given the neighborhood’s booming nightlife scene, Petroff said he plans to stay open until 10 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends to meet demand…. The shop will also serve as a home base for the truck, and can act as a “playhouse” for Petroff and Quint, both of Washington Heights, to come up with new creations.
“Having an address is an amazing thing,” Petroff said. “Mail is not delivered to the corner of “Mail is not delivered to the corner of Broadway and 17th Street.” [Via DNAInfo]
When the storefront opens—likely late July or Early August—the Big Gay Ice Cream Shop will serve shakes, sundaes and its legendary ice-cream concoctions (we’re partial to the Gobbler: vanilla ice cream pumpkin butter, whipped cream, crushed graham crackers and Craisins)—as well as mindboggling toppings like olive oil and sea salt, toasted curried coconut, elderflower, Trix and sea salt—as well as Olso coffee and desserts from local eateries.
But do they do weddings?
Photos via
