From Rare Treat In Pakistan To 30 Years In Englewood: Ice Cream On Grand Marks Sweet Milestone
When Syed Rizvi was a youngster growing up in Pakistan, he seldom ever had ice cream. He only tasted it perhaps once a month, when his grandma purchased it for him and picked him up from school. He had a dream at the time of operating an ice cream truck.
Victoria Rizvi and Syed at Ice Cream on Grand.
Ice Cream on Grand, where Syed Rizvi works.
Ice Cream on Grand’s prices
Ice Cream on Grand, inside.
Ice Cream on Grand, inside.
Ice Cream on Grand, outside.
His reality now, thirty years later, is more than he could have ever dreamed as a child. Now 63, Rizvi is the owner of one of the most well-known ice cream stores in Bergen County, Ice Cream on Grand in Englewood, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this summer and won the Daily Voice’s Ice Cream Showdown.
In 1995, when it was still a Carvel, Rizvi purchased the store. He changed the name to Ice Cream on Grand and became independent five years later.
With 32 changing flavors available today, Cookie Monster, which is loaded with cookies and fudge, is the store’s best-selling item. We would be bankrupt without it, Rizvi joked.
Together with his wife, Victoria, who works full-time at a pharmaceutical company and oversees marketing and social media, Rizvi operates the company. She graduated from Moscow with a degree in computer science and joined her spouse in the United States in 1991. She was first unaware of how demanding an ice cream company might be. She compared it like marrying a doctor. He was always available.
But as time went on, she realized how passionate her husband was and why the shop required so much of him. The idea behind the counter is straightforward: only use the best ingredients.
imported purees from Italy, Madagascar vanilla, and specially designed machinery from abroad. A batch of some flavors might cost hundreds of dollars. Customers believe the artistry and ingredients used in each scoop make the price tag of the cups, which start at around $8.50 for a kids’ size, worth it.
Victoria once referred to the store as the Neiman Marcus of ice cream, saying, “We compete for quality, not price.”
Long before the doors are formally opened, that desire is evident. Before 2:00 p.m., customers frequently knock on the door, anxious to enter. Victoria argues that if she doesn’t keep the driveway blocked off until opening time, business would start too early.
Rizvi’s constant desire to do better is one of the things that draws customers back. He is constantly experimenting with flavors, tweaking recipes, and looking for better components.
We shall stop producing it if we are unable to discover a good product. His wife remarked, “We won’t compromise on quality.” And he immediately reinvests the proceeds back into the store, whether it’s for the new Italian equipment, the updated interior décor, or the vibrant outside seating area.
Families from all walks of life are welcome at Ice Cream on Grand, which has grown to be a true neighborhood mainstay over the years. The Jewish community in Bergen County is one of its largest supporters.
In the 1990s, shortly after assuming control of the Carvel, Rizvi recalls a little Jewish youngster entering and inquiring about the kosherness of the store. Rizvi didn’t know what that meant at the moment. However, he completed his research, and the store received its certification in two weeks. Kof-K was personally kashered by its late founder, Dr. Zecharia (Harvey) Senter.
His picture is displayed proudly by the main door now.
The business was formed by that choice. According to Victoria, Sundays are one of the busiest days of the week, and around one-third of Ice Cream on Grand’s patrons now observe kosher.
The Asian community in Palisades Park and Fort Lee, which are adjacent, provides another devoted clientele. Yuzu, a citrus fruit used in many Asian delicacies, was first introduced to Victoria by a Japanese coworker shortly before COVID. A yuzu ice cream with lemon zest that she and Syed made soon became a best-seller.
Rizvi would rather remain anonymous despite his fame. However, his employees and clients are aware of his generosity. One employee commented, “He’s very nice and he cares about us.” He will occasionally even pay for our lunch. He is incredibly considerate.
Victoria claims that her husband frequently gives away free ice cream to customers who arrive before the store opens. As he frequently does for neighborhood police and firemen, Rizvi gave a cone to a DPW employee on the property during Daily Voice’s visit.
He still thinks about ice cream even after thirty years. “There’s passion,” Victoria added. He thinks about ice cream while he sleeps. He thinks of ice cream when on vacation. “Take me to the best ice cream shops,” he will say to the cabbie. After visiting the Louvre, we’ll visit an ice cream shop. He is passionate about it.
