Toscanini's facts for kids
Toscanini's Ice Cream Company, often called just Toscanini's or Tosci's, is a very popular ice cream parlor and café in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It first opened its doors in 1981. Over the years, Toscanini's has won many awards, including "Best of Boston" for its amazing ice cream multiple times. It has also received high praise from famous magazines like Gourmet and newspapers like The New York Times.
The Story of Toscanini's
Toscanini's first and main shop is located at 899 Main Street in Central Square. In January 2018, a new location opened near Kendall Square while the Main Street store was being updated. The original Main Street shop reopened in January 2022. In the past, Toscanini's also had other locations. These included the Someday Café in Somerville, Massachusetts, a spot inside the MIT student center, and a shop in Harvard Square.
In 2006, the owner, Gus Rancatore, worked with author Helen Epstein to publish a short book. It was called Ice Cream Man: 25 Years at Toscanini's. This book shared the personal story of how Toscanini's began and grew.
A Temporary Challenge and Community Support
On January 17, 2008, Toscanini's faced a big challenge. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue temporarily closed the business. This happened because of an issue with unpaid taxes from previous years.
However, the community quickly stepped in to help. An ice cream maker named Samuel Mehr set up a website. People could donate money through a special link. The support from local people and others was amazing. They raised over $30,000 to help with the tax bill. A plan was made with the state to pay the rest of the amount. After being closed for only eight days, Toscanini's Ice Cream and Coffee Shop happily reopened on January 25, 2008.
