It's Not Summer Without Vecchitto's

There are a few businesses in town that have been around for a while and continue to draw people back from far and wide. O’Rourke’s Diner is that kind of place for many, particularly Wesleyan students. For me, it is Vecchitto’s Lemon Ice.

I know it is summer when I have my first root beer lemon ice (although watermelon and chocolate will do). Driving by it on Route 9 on a hot summer night with the neon signs on makes me know I am home.

Vecchitto’s Lemon Ice and Gelato Shop (its official name) has its roots with Gaetano Vecchitto (1883-1961), who came from Melilli, Sicily in 1902. He didn’t settled down right away, but went back home to find a bride, and came back to Middletown in 1904 with Giovanna Mazziotta.

According to the book "Arrivederci Melilli … Hello Middletown" by James Vincent Annino, Gaetano Vecchitto bought his house at 25 Cherry Street in 1919. Today, it is 323 Dekoven Drive. (That is a whole ’nother story that I will feature next Saturday.) Here, Gaetano and Giovanna raised their six children.

For a while in the 1920s, Vecchitto worked at Russell Manufacturing Co. on East Main Street. In 1925, he quit to open his own grocery store in an addition he had built to his home. Vecchitto’s Market remained open until 1948. He had a lot of competition, with dozens of other stores in the North End along Ferry, Rapallo and Main. Before Vecchitto’s store was on Cherry, Salvatore Mazzotta ran a market just a few houses north of Vecchitto’s at 33 Cherry.

In 1927, Vecchitto added again to his house to make room for his new venture — a lemon ice shop. Gaetano regularly took the Middletown boat to New York City from the wharf at the foot of Court Street to buy his supplies for the store and lemon ice shop. He used fresh ingredients and a hand-crank ice cream maker to create his unique and tasty lemon ice, known as Vecchitto's Froze-Rite Italian Ice.

His son Joseph (or Guiseppe in the 1920 Federal Census) took over the shop and became “Joe Lemon Ice” or “Joe Slush” during his 90-year association with the store. He opened another place at Sound View Beach in Old Lyme in 1953, which is still operating.

Joe Vecchitto died four years ago this week at the age of 93. Today, the founder’s grandsons: Joseph Jr., Colombo (Cal) and Christopher – take care of the lemon ice shop. And their children, the fourth generation, continue to work there during the summer!

The Middletown Vecchitto’s opens in the afternoons and closes at 9 or so beginning after Memorial Day until mid-September, so get on down there if you’re an old regular or you’ve never indulged! I’ve never been to the Sound View shop, so I plan to take a drive down. That store is open all day during the summer. Vecchitto’s provides a taste sensation that cannot be beat.

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