Ben & Jerry's shop by franchisees Steven and Angela Siliato may open in June in downtown Riverhead
A Ben and Jerry's store is coming in June to Main Street in Riverhead. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Who doesn't like ice cream?
That was the question Steven Siliato and his wife, Angela, pondered when they decided to open a business in downtown Riverhead. So the two ice cream lovers will be Ben & Jerry's franchisees.
They're hoping to open their new Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop by mid-June at a storefront now under renovation at 87 Main St.
They're also hopeful they're in on the ground floor of the new Town Square plan — an effort by local officials to revamp and revitalize downtown Riverhead that will include new green space, an adaptive playground, an amphitheater and a new parking garage.
"We picked Riverhead because we're Town of Riverhead residents," Steven Siliato said on Tuesday, "and because it's a great fit, we live here, our kids live here — and, who doesn't love ice cream, right?"
The Siliatos live in Wading River.
Steven Siliato is an attorney, based in Sound Beach. Angela works in the pharmacy at J.T. Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson.
Steven grew up in Miller Place, where his family still owns a liquor store, and that was a driving reason behind wanting to open a family business.
The brand founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, grew up in Merrick, then opened their first ice cream shop in South Burlington, Vermont. The ultra-successful brand is now owned by the British company Unilever — though it plans to divest itself of its ice cream brands by the end of 2025.
For now, Ben & Jerry's remains headquartered in South Burlington.
The brand has several shops on Long Island, including locations in Huntington, Patchogue and Westhampton Beach.
The new Riverhead store, due to its size, will offer a complete range of Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors, in addition to cakes, shakes and other Ben & Jerry's products, Steven Siliato said.
"That means we'll have sorbets, vegan options, all the nondairy options, plus the whole line of Ben & Jerry's flavors," Siliato said.
Who doesn't like ice cream?
That was the question Steven Siliato and his wife, Angela, pondered when they decided to open a business in downtown Riverhead. So the two ice cream lovers will be Ben & Jerry's franchisees.
They're hoping to open their new Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop by mid-June at a storefront now under renovation at 87 Main St.
They're also hopeful they're in on the ground floor of the new Town Square plan — an effort by local officials to revamp and revitalize downtown Riverhead that will include new green space, an adaptive playground, an amphitheater and a new parking garage.
"We picked Riverhead because we're Town of Riverhead residents," Steven Siliato said on Tuesday, "and because it's a great fit, we live here, our kids live here — and, who doesn't love ice cream, right?"
The Siliatos live in Wading River.
Steven Siliato is an attorney, based in Sound Beach. Angela works in the pharmacy at J.T. Mather Hospital in Port Jefferson.
Steven grew up in Miller Place, where his family still owns a liquor store, and that was a driving reason behind wanting to open a family business.
The brand founders, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, grew up in Merrick, then opened their first ice cream shop in South Burlington, Vermont. The ultra-successful brand is now owned by the British company Unilever — though it plans to divest itself of its ice cream brands by the end of 2025.
For now, Ben & Jerry's remains headquartered in South Burlington.
The brand has several shops on Long Island, including locations in Huntington, Patchogue and Westhampton Beach.
The new Riverhead store, due to its size, will offer a complete range of Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors, in addition to cakes, shakes and other Ben & Jerry's products, Steven Siliato said.
"That means we'll have sorbets, vegan options, all the nondairy options, plus the whole line of Ben & Jerry's flavors," Siliato said.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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