Looking for a better life John Bonanza arrived in America, the land of opportunity, leaving his parents in the small mountainous town of Sterno, Italy.   John came to America with a change of clothes, a small amount of money and his Dad's lemon ice recipe. 

 

The Bonanza business began in Brooklyn.  John (nicknamed Chick) Bonanza walked through his neighborhood in Carnarsie Brooklyn with his push cart selling lemon ice, hot dogs, peanuts and soda.  The original lemon ice recipe, with all the pits, is still used today at Bonanza’s of Oyster Bay. 

 

In the early 1900's Chick and Emma moved into their new home in Oyster Bay.    John and Emma worked together to make their lemon ice.  Emma, wearing a pair of yellow rubber gloves  squeezed the  lemons for the juice to make the lemon ice.  Chick used a machine that he hand cranked to change the lemon juice into real Italian ice.  In the summertime, there was always the smell of the freshly squeezed lemon juice in the Bonanza house on Shore Avenue.  Chick would stand on the corner of his property with his push cart to sell the lemon ice, peanuts, hot dogs and soda.    In later years a store was built on the corner of Shore and Maxwell Avenues.   Chick sold many different items and the store stayed open from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend.   Some of the items sold were fresh bait, candy, soda, hot dogs, stick pretzels and lemon ice.  The small lemon ice was sold for 3 cents and the large was sold for 5 cents.  The first cash register was a white owl cigar box.    The children of Oyster Bay would gather around to watch Chick,  as he cranked his ice machine and made the lemon ice.  If any of the children helped him they were given a free lemon ice.   The entire family, Chick, Emma (and their four children) Michael, John, Mildred, Catherine as well as their grandchildren worked to serve customers at the store on busy weekends especially during the Feast of St. Rocco’s. 

 

When Chick Bonanza decided to retire his son Michael was offered the business.  Michael along with his wife Mary Bonanza and under the strict rules of Chick kept the business exactly the same selling lemon ices, hot dogs, stick pretzels, stick  licorice, candy buttons, O’Henry bars, Hershey bars and red hots.  The best sellers were candy buttons on long strips of white paper and licorice.  Mike and Mary (when it was their time to retire) asked their son Phil if he wanted the business.  Phil had lots of new ideas for the business and with his parent’s permission added orange and chocolate ice.  Phil Sr. has owned and operated the business for the past 30 years and works on the retail side of the business.   With the help of his son, Phil Jr. (who owns an Italian ice wholesale business – Bonanza’s of Bayville) the list of Italian ices has increased.   We continue to make our ices with the highest quality products and that is reflected in the great taste. 

 

And last but not least this history could not be told without the honorable mention of the generations 

of our customers who give us such great reviews, who bring their children and grandchildren to Bonanza's for their first Italian ice and who continue to come back to Bonanza's in Oyster Bay no matter where they have moved to.

 

                                                                With our sincerest thanks,

 

                                                                          Phil Bonanza