Ralph’s Italian Ices coming to West Park Ave.

  Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices and Ice Cream is set to open on West Park Avenue next month.

The Italian ice shop will open the first week of March, said owner Sam Rejtig, marking the franchise’s second location on the barrier island. Rejtig owns a Ralph’s at 1090 W. Beech St. in East Atlantic Beach, which he opened in 1997, adjacent to his Beach Bagel and Deli.

“We were the first Ralph’s on Long Island,” said Rejtig, who also owns locations in Bellmore, Merrick and Seaford.

At the Feb. 4 City Council meeting, the council approved an off-street parking waiver to Rejtig, who will open the business at 8 W. Park Ave. in the former MetroPCS space, between Gino’s of Long Beach and Five Guy’s.

Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, which first opened in 1928 on Staten Island, has locations throughout the five boroughs. Rejtig said the Long Beach location will be open nine months out of the year, from March to December — a franchise requirement, he said — and will operate seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the spring and fall, and to 11 p.m. in the summer.

“We thought that the center of Long Beach called for a Ralph’s Ice’s, especially with people coming from the train and going to the beach — you have City Hall, a lot offices and homes there as well,” he said. “Instead of traveling to the West End, we wanted to service the center and east part of Long Beach, and when that location became available, we jumped on it.”

The business will offer more than 100 Italian ice flavors, as well as ice cream, shakes and smoothies, he said. With Gino’s and Tutti Frutti frozen yogurt nearby, Rejtig said he does not expect Ralph’s to compete with those businesses.

“Tutti Frutti is yogurt and it’s not our intention to do yogurt, and Gino’s main business is not ice cream,” he said. “We’re a different product and Ralph’s fills a niche market — I hope it will draw more people to the center of Long Beach.”