Brielle Meyer

^{Photo credit: Rita’s Italian Ice}

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is opening its first Grand Rapids location, offering fresh Italian Ice and more from noon to 8 p.m. daily.

Note: This is a story I wrote for WZZM 13 in April of 2025. The original can be found here.

If you’ve been itching to get your summer frozen treat fix, a new business opening in Grand Rapids is arriving just in time.

Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard will open its doors at 2457 Burton Street SE on Wednesday, bringing the national frozen treat chain to Grand Rapids for the first time.

Brian Holt and Gaby Gutierrez are the proud owners of the new location. No strangers to the world of frozen treats, they also operate a Rita’s location in Holland. The new Burton Street location will employ around eight team members and operate daily from noon to 8 p.m.

“We are beyond excited to bring Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard to the Grand Rapids community,” said Holt and Gutierrez. “For us, this venture is more than just a business opportunity; it’s a chance to create something truly special that reflects our family values and brings joy to our neighborhood.”

The Grand Rapids location will feature Rita’s signature Italian Ice made fresh daily on-site, with rotating flavors selected from more than 80 options. The menu also includes frozen custard, gelati, concretes, frozen coffee, Rita’s Blenders and milkshakes.

The new location will host a grand opening soon, though they did not share details about when it may be.

Founded in 1984 by Philadelphia firefighter Bob Tumolo, Rita’s has grown to approximately 575 shops across more than 30 states. The company, headquartered in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, bills itself as the world’s largest Italian Ice and Frozen Custard brand.

For more information about the new Grand Rapids location, customers can download the Rita’s mobile app or visit ritasice.com.