Whether you’re running a few errands downtown or going out for a bite to eat, chances are if you’re within a three-block radius of Erie Street you’re thinking about swinging by Torico Ice Cream for a cone or a cup {whatever your fancy}. It’s hard to ignore when Torico is just around the corner because the sweet aroma of fresh cones and sugary goodness hits you from a block away — IYKYK.
About The Expansion
If you live in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood and crave the fragrant pull of an ice cream shop while walking down the street, your dreams might be coming true soon. After 52 years of business, Torico is expanding! The ice cream shop is looking to bring its flavors to the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood and, according to Jersey Digs, is hoping to move into a one-story building at 1041 Garfield Avenue between Berry Lane Park and The Junction.
The New Space
According to Jersey City municipal documentation, the space houses over 3,500 square feet of industrial space and 310 square feet of retail space. While the exact date on which construction would begin is unclear, the second location would likely open in 2022. According to Christine Berrios, the daughter of Pura and Peter Berrios {the second generation of the family to work in the store}, the new facility will have a retail space for visitors, but will also serve as a production facility.
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Don’t fret, Torico’s original location isn’t going anywhere amidst plans of expansion. You’ll still be able to scoop your favorite flavors, milkshakes, sundaes, pints, cakes, and pies from their original shop on the corner of Erie and 1st Street. Torico is known for incorporating unique ingredients into their ice cream flavors, their homemade waffle cones, custom ice cream cakes, and much more. On any given day, Torico has 50-60 flavors to select from and experiment with, including flavors inspired by their Puerto Rican heritage like coquito during the holidays.
How Torico Came To Be
Originally opened by the Berrios family in 1968 as a deli, the original concept for Torico’s was, funny enough, ideated out of a pregnancy craving for tropical flavors. Shortly after the ice cream was introduced to the deli counter, it became the main reason constituents stopped by the shop. By the mid-1970s, the Berrios family decided to follow their customer’s hearts and transition the storefront to focus solely on ice cream. The original hand crank machine used to churn flavors still sits in the shop today. Learn more about the history behind Torico via our feature on the small business during the 50th anniversary.
