Pesso’s Italian Ices is located in Bayside, Queens, a well known upper-middle class neighborhood. It’s been serving cold treats to residents in the neighborhood since 2004. After the owner, Gidon Pesso decided he wanted to make and serve ice cream, ices, gelato, or any sweet that would remind people of the kid inside of them, he took over a previous ice cream shop. He bought the store and the recipes, and renovated the insides of the store. The function and service of it is the same, but the menu has expanded and now boasts more than 100 flavors, with many of them unique to the shop. Between those years however, there have been some changes with the neighborhood.
Bayside grew as a neighborhood in the mid 20th century as rich Irish, Italian, and German American families has bought houses and settled in. Of course, it wouldn’t be surprising then that the demographic of the neighborhood in regards to race was predominantly White. When Pesso’s Italian Ices opened, the white population alone in Bayside was 76,405 in 2000 according to census data from Infoshare. This is a significant number compared to the 2,510 Black population, 138 Native American population, 30,895 Asian population, and 20 Pacific Islander population. Now, two decades after the influx of Irish-,Italian-, and German-American families, there has been an increase in Korean- and Chinese-Americans moving in, with most coming from the Flushing area (Gregor). This growing changing in ethnicity is also supported by census data from Infoshare. Compared to the 76,406 White population in 2000, the population is now 58,766 White. As the White population has decreased, the Asian population has dramatically rose to 50,638. The population of most of the other races has slightly increased as well. Now, the Black population is 2,692, the Native American population is now 273, and the Pacific Islander population is 140.
In the past, Bayside has been known to be a residential area and to this day, it is still known as a suburb inside New York City borders. Houses, usually single-family units with a grass front lawn, line whole blocks, an abundant amount of green space, like Crocheron park, is present, and stores are often located in the same area. In the map of Bayside in 1943, the colored boxes reveal that the majority of the neighborhood seems to be occupied by residential homes. The pictures provided in the “1943 Profile of the Bayside, Queens Area” from the New York City Market Analysis, reflects this idea too. There are many houses with a shopping strip on one block. When Google Maps is used to view the addresses in the 1943 profile today, it is evident that the land has not changed. The location with houses still have houses and Francis Lewis Boulevard is still a popular shopping strip, but with different stores.
Map of Bayside in 1943 with residential homes colored according to monthly rent
Pictures of Bayside neighborhood in 1943 Top is the house at 203rd St. Bottom Right is Francis Lewis Boulevard from 34th Ave
Francis Lewis Boulevard from 34th Ave Today
203rd st from 53rd Ave Today
Another factor that has remained constant throughout the years of Bayside is the affluence of the people in the community. According to “Bayside: A City Suburb with Enclave,” a New York Times article by Alison Gregor, Betsy Pilling, a lifelong resident and the broker/owner of Pilling Real Estate, states that people in Bayside are paying a lot of money because they want to live there. In the article, other brokers say that “detached three-bedroom houses start at $600,000 or so” and that “there are few, if any, affordable housing options, so buyers tend to be affluent.” In the NYC Census data about household income, we observe that compared to New York City’s mean household income of $83,994, Bayside’s mean household income is $94,806. This exemplifies that Bayside is in fact an affluent neighborhood.
Household income in Bayside during the years 2010-2014 from the NYC Census Fact Finder
During the 13 years that Pesso’s Italian Ices has been opened, the biggest changes in the neighborhood has been the balance of ethnicities. It can be argued that diversity of the area has increased as the White population decreased and other populations grew. Currently, mostly Asian and White people dominate. The suburban vibe of the neighborhood and the wealthiness of the people has not changed dramatically over the years. Bayside is still a highly desirable residential area for many people. Even Pesso has stated that Bayside, over the years, has become more of a destination residential area. He says, “[There’s no bad things about working in this neighborhood because it’s a fun, cool thing.” And although the neighborhood is shifting, Pesso’s Italian Ices remains a hot spot for people of all ages to come in to enjoy some ice cream. The students from the church and school nearby can easily visit and families in Bayside can bond inside while eating a treat. It’s a local hub for socializing and eating!
