Daisy’s in Slavic Village has endured its share of ups and downs over the past few years. After owners Ray and Daisy Pudelski rolled down the shutters on their 40-year-old ice cream shop on Fleet Avenue, the neighborhood attraction sat idle for three years. In 2018, chef Walter Hyde revived the shop, giving it the love and attention it needed to bounce back and bring smiles back to that corner. Hyde passed away in 2021, and a destructive break-in and theft occurred the following year, leaving the future of the business and property in doubt.
But this past fall, LT Magnotto of Guardian Cold Brew purchased the 2,500-square-foot property to use as the new production space for his growing cold-brew coffee business. His operations will take place in the rear of the large building, leaving the original storefront unaffected. Magnotto says that he has leased that storefront out to a new operator.
“What I’m most excited about is having a hand in bringing ice cream back to Slavic Village,” he says. “It’s going to be a really cool small business hub of sorts.”
Partners Brittany Bissell and Chris Hoke hope to reopen Daisy’s (5614 Fleet Ave.) by Memorial Day at the latest. Their plan is to offer a combination of hard pack and soft serve ice creams, brownie sundaes, banana splits, milk shakes and floats. They will be serving Toft’s ice cream from Sandusky, “Ohio’s oldest dairy.”
The owners will also offer a small selection of hot foods starring hot dogs and traditional Polish boys, with kielbasa, fries, coleslaw and barbecue sauce.
“It’s just the two of us, so we’re trying to take things slow and provide the best Polish boy you can get in Cleveland — and great ice cream, and lots of smiles — seven days a week, all summer long,” says Hoke.
Hoke says that the shop will remain a seasonal operation unless the demand for hot food convinces them to decide otherwise.
“So far, the community reaction has been above and beyond what we ever expected,” Hoke adds. “Just from the announcement of reopening, the response from the community has been amazing. We’re over the moon.”
For neighborhood organizer Anthony Trzaska, the past few years have been difficult, to say the least.
“It has been a long, really challenging year for me at the corner of 57th and Fleet since the tragic passing of Walter and the unfortunate circumstances that followed at the shop,” Trzaska admits. “Now that the cat is out of the bag, I’m feeling renewed with the tremendous showing of support for the next chapter of Daisy’s On Fleet – and I know Walt would be happy that the kids in the heart of Slavic Village still have a spot for their sweet treats.”
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This article appears in Apr 5-19, 2023.
