Banana Boat Ice Cream Shop Closing After 43 Years On Revere Beach
REVERE (CBS) -- An ice cream shop with a presence on Revere Beach for decades is shutting down permanently. The Banana Boat, which ended its 2020 season in September, announced Tuesday it is closing after 43 years in business.
"It is with a heavy heart we have made the tough decision to close Banana Boat Ice Cream," Amora and Avri Schena posted to Facebook. "Words will never be enough to express our gratitude to our family, hard-working employees, dedicated customers, suppliers, and each person who has supported us over the years."
The Schena family started the business in 1977 and described the blue and white shop as a "fortress which has proven resilient through major storms like the Blizzard of '78 and other unforeseen challenges like COVID-19."
The Banana Boat did not specifically say why it was shutting down. Back in May, the family spoke to WBZ-TV about the challenges they faced trying to safely operate during the pandemic.
Heartbroken customers and former employees shared their memories of the Banana Boat on social media.
"Revere Beach will not be the same without you guys," one commenter wrote. Another said working at the shop was "the best job I had."
"To our customers, your loyalty has kept us going all these years and we will miss seeing each of you get your ice cream at our window," the Schena family said. "Watching generations come and go has been one of the greatest motivations for our family to continue each year."
