Rita’s Italian Ice celebrates grand opening in McHenry

With a balloon arch out front and a ribbon-cutting among the festivities, Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard in downtown McHenry celebrated its grand opening Saturday.

The frozen treat shop had its soft opening last summer, and its Saturday grand opening was one day after the nearby Riverwalk Shoppes had its season debut.

“We’ll do events with the Riverwalk Shoppes,” said Cathy Levatino, owner and operator of the McHenry Rita’s.

Rita’s Italian Ice is a chain that originated in the Philadelphia area in the 1980s and has since expanded to 30 states across the nation. Other locations in the Chicago area include Park Ridge and the city’s North Side, according to Rita’s website.

Levatino said about 500 to 600 people came through Rita’s during the grand opening. Rita’s debuted last August and opened for the season March 1, Levatino said, but she waited to celebrate the grand opening until the weather warmed up.

Levatino said her grandchildren helped her cut the ribbon. “It was awesome,” Levatino said. She added that 10% of proceeds from Saturday’s grand opening event were going to the nonprofit Kids in Need.

Darlene Baker and her granddaughter Sofie were among the attendees at the grand opening. They stopped by the shop for a cool treat after spending some time in the park, but didn’t realize Saturday was the store’s grand opening.

”We’re glad she’s here,” Baker said. “It’s good for McHenry.”

Levatino got the idea for opening a Rita’s when she was in Florida. She said she would go there a week or two at a time and would stop by a Rita’s for a cone every day when she was staying in St. Augustine.

She decided to open a Rita’s in McHenry and said city officials were supportive of the shop. She also plans to have Rita’s at local events this summer.

“You’ll see us about town,” Levatino said.