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Rita's Frozen Treats Delight Hernando Residents

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By TONY HOLT, Hernando Today

Published: November 26, 2007

SPRING HILL - Whenever Karen Rockwell thought about what kind of business she wanted to run, Rita's Water Ice was always on her radar screen.

She first tried the product while a resident in Clearwater. When she moved to Spring Hill, she missed the cold, flavorful ice treats and the rich and creamy custards she used to take for granted.

Before long, she and her cousins, Rich and Kathy Bellino, learned they could build and open a Rita's store in Hernando County.

The decision as to where to build it was an easy one: Coastal Landing.

"We started in May 2006 and we searched endlessly for the best spot," Rich Bellino said. "This is the best shopping area in Hernando County."

Even if Bellino and Rockwell had not found a place next to Panera or near all the new retailers who have opened in the last six months, they knew the product would sell itself.

Nicole Sanchez was in the store on a recent afternoon with her boyfriend. The former Jacksonville resident used to be a regular at Rita's. Like Rockwell, she yearned for the fruity ice treats after relocating to Spring Hill.

"Try the mango custard," she suggested to one customer who was deciding which flavor to sample.

Then she turned her attention to Rockwell waiting behind the counter.

"When this was in Jacksonville, we used to go every day," she told the co-owner. "We were counting the days when you would open."
Rockwell said company studies have shown the average customer eats at Rita's three or four times per week.

"It's not a heavy product," she said. "It's fat-free and cholesterol-free ... but it's not calorie-free."

At first glance, the menu may also seem free of diversity, but choices include a variety of flavors of Italian ice, custards, mistos, gelatis or blendinis.
Italian ice (or water ice) is smoother and has more flavor than a snow cone. Instead of pouring flavored syrup on top of shaved ice, Rita's uses a machine that combines water, fresh fruit and artificial flavors and freezes the mixture.

It only has a 36-hour shelf life to ensure freshness, Rockwell said.

A frozen custard is a self-serve product made of egg yolks that is thicker and creamier than soft-serve ice cream.

A misto is combination of any flavored water ice and either vanilla or chocolate custard and blended into a creamy milkshake-type of drink.

A gelati is a layer of custard, water ice and then another layer of custard.

"It's your own combination of whatever you want," Rockwell said.

Finally, a blendini is a combination of frozen custard with either crushed Oreo cookies or Nilla wafers and water ice.

Because of the water ice's short shelf life, the flavors change each day.

The Rita's that opened at Coastal Landing was the 546th store in the country. Executives hope to see the number reach 1,500 by 2010, Bellino said.

Rita's Water Ice, at 7065 Coastal Blvd., is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

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