For greater than 4 many years, Gelotti Ice Cream has stood on the nook of Union Avenue in Paterson as one thing far better than a dessert store. It has been a landmark of sweetness, a gathering place, a keeper of custom, and—maybe most of all—a testomony to a household whose dedication constructed an establishment one scoop at a time.
Inside, the air hums with a well-recognized mix of espresso, sugar, and nostalgia. It’s the scent of summers passed by—of youngsters tugging on their mother and father’ sleeves, of households gathering after college performs or Sunday dinners. However on the day of his interview, as second-generation proprietor Robert Sigona stepped into the again room to mirror on the 41-year journey of his father’s dream, that acquainted air carried one thing heavier: pleasure, reminiscence, and the load of legacy.
Robert shouldn’t be somebody simply undone. Broad-shouldered and firm-jawed, he’s a person who has spent most of his life behind the counter or beside his father, Salvatore Sigona, studying each screw, change, and secret that retains Gelotti working. However when requested about his father’s work ethic—in regards to the late nights, the early mornings, and the quiet sacrifices—his voice caught.
“He constructed this with nothing however grit,” Robert stated, his eyes lingering on the store flooring past the doorway. “Individuals don’t perceive how a lot he gave… how a lot he pushed. He devoted his entire life so this place might stand tall—so we might give folks one thing to smile about.”
These smiles have by no means stopped. What started as a single store in 1984 has grown into what Robert proudly calls “a frozen confection paradise… the alpha and omega of frozen treats.” Gelotti shortly grew to become identified for doing what others weren’t prepared to do—sourcing components from world wide, innovating lengthy earlier than tendencies hit mainstream, and crafting desserts with a stage of experience and pleasure that made the Sigona title synonymous with high quality.
Lengthy earlier than plant-based desserts stuffed menus nationwide, Gelotti rolled out vegan choices. Earlier than America’s obsession with sugar-free manufacturers, Salvatore was quietly perfecting theirs. They added pastries, created novelties just like the beloved Lil Chippies and Lil Cones, and, in 2025, elevated the store even additional by introducing espresso sourced instantly from Italy—one other nod to their heritage.
However Gelotti has by no means been nearly desserts. For Paterson and the encircling communities, it has been a relentless, a dependable good friend. The Sigonas have supported native sports activities groups, church buildings, faculties, charities, and cultural teams not as a result of it was good enterprise, however as a result of it was the fitting factor to do.
“We promote smiles,” Robert stated merely. “It’s not simply ice cream. It’s an expertise—a second of pleasure we get to create for somebody.”
Regardless of 4 many years of success, Robert’s willpower hasn’t dimmed. If something, it burns hotter. “I need to shock folks,” he stated with a gradual edge. “I would like those that missed my father’s work to lastly perceive what we constructed. I would like Gelotti to be acknowledged as the usual—the commonplace—for high quality, selection, and expertise.”
But even in his ambition, Robert’s loyalty to Paterson stays immovable. Gelotti is, and at all times can be, a homegrown treasure—a melting pot of flavors for a melting pot group. And as households collect this season beneath the neon-green signal with its cherry-topped i, they gained’t simply be celebrating ice cream.They’ll be celebrating the Sigona household—pillars of Paterson, stewards of sweetness, and keepers of a 41-year legacy nonetheless being written, one scoop at a time.