Those hoping to grab a decadent ice cream cone for dessert in the East Village are out of luck…
The Big Gay Ice Cream Shop’s original 7th St. location will not reopen.
Local news site EV Grieve first reported the news after readers noticed a “For Rent” sign in the shop’s window. They received confirmation of the permanent closure from co-founder Doug Quint, though he didn’t offer any specific explanation. Of course, it is presumed the pandemic had an effect.
Located on 7th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, it was the first brick-and-mortar shop for the colorful ice cream shop, which first started as a truck in 2009. It has been named best ice cream parlor and best food truck in the country, and is known for its high-quality ingredients mixed with creative and fun toppings and flavors — like a Nutella-lined waffle cone ice cream sundae filled with twisted chocolate & vanilla ice cream, dulce de leche & whipped cream, finished with a sprinkling of sea salt, just to get an idea.
It had been closed since last March when everything in the city first shut down, though its sister locations in the West Village and on the Upper West Side did eventually reopen.
Luckily, you can still visit those locations at 61 Grove Street and 518 Columbus Ave, respectively.
featured image source: Instagram / @biggayicecream