ST. PETERSBURG – When Frank and Valerie Brown opened their Rita’s Italian Ice on 66th Street in St. Pete in late July, they weren’t just launching another franchise. They were bringing a piece of their childhood to the community with a goal of connecting with families and sharing the comfort of something cold and sweet.
“It’s a place for families,” Valerie said. “It’s something that the kids are going to remember, because it really is a part of my childhood. It’s coming here after the game, the celebration, birthday party, just spending time with dad. You just come here and have a good time. We could be doing anything, and it makes us happy to be here.”
Originally from Pennsylvania, where Rita’s began, the Browns grew up eating Italian ice and moved to St. Petersburg about 14 years ago. Frank spent decades in restaurant management and hospitality, and over time, he and Valerie discussed the idea of opening a place of their own…