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Ice Cream Standoff: Popular Westchester Shop Open Despite Order To Close

MAMARONECK, N.Y. -- In the standoff between the Village of Mamaroneck and Ralph's Italian Ices and Ice Cream, so far Ralph's is winning.

The interior of Ralph's Italian Ices and Ice Cream, a shop in Mamaroneck that draws crowds for its frozen treats and glares from neighbors irked by the traffic it generates.

The interior of Ralph's Italian Ices and Ice Cream, a shop in Mamaroneck that draws crowds for its frozen treats and glares from neighbors irked by the traffic it generates.

Photo Credit: Yelp

Well, kind of -- if you call getting a $250 violation from the village for operating without a certificate of occupation, winning.

"I'm open and serving people and the Village of Mamaroneck doesn't know what they are doing," owner Scott Rosenberg told the Daily Voice Friday afternoon.

Assistant Village Manager Daniel Sarnoff said late Friday: "We are not commenting on the advice of our counsel." 

Rosenberg is just happy to be open and plans to continue to open and receive daily violations until village officials take some kind of stand.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "It will be kind of interesting to see what happens. Will people come and protest again? What will the village do?"

The whole mess started just shortly after Rosenberg opened when the Village Zoning Board of Appeals decided they had provided him with the wrong kind of permit; a retail instead of food permit. Then the neighbors started complaining about the noise and traffic. 

The board of appeals decided to revoke his license and told him he would have to close. Thursday was supposed to be his last day. But a couple hundred people showed up Thursday night to protest the closing and that only fueled Rosenberg's desire to keep open his "little" business.

Rosenberg claims the village is costing him a half-million dollars by making him close. He also said he has jumped thru all the hoops to make changes they requested for him to stay open. 

"Hey, I'll be here tonight, and open tomorrow," Rosenberg said. "Let's see what the village decides to do."

He's hoping it's an emergency zoning meeting that will grant him a new permit. The other side is not talking. 

Stay tuned. 

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