Business Spotlight
One of the most famous Italian businesses that exist in Corona is The Lemon Ice King. It’s history is as interesting as Coronas itself. As a child, Peter Benfaremo helped out his father selling Italian ices out of the family garage. After coming back from the war in 1944, he officially opened The Lemon Ice King to the public. While there were only 2 flavors (lemon and orange) in 1944, there are over 35 flavors today. Because of the large Italian population, flavors came into creation to accommodate Italian taste buds. For example, the flavor pistachio became one of the most popular ices at the time.
Following the change in demographics, the employees at The Lemon Ice King are now as diverse as the neighborhood. Workers range from the original italians to the young spanish kids looking for a job. The popular flavors have changed with the culture going from the classic pistachio to the more tropical coconut and pineapple. Nowadays, The Lemon Ice King may look a bit different, but the ice is as good as it always was.
