This Miami vendor offers a sweet break from the coronavirus pandemic

After moving from Detroit to Miami-Dade in 1978, Alan Cohen, known simply as A.C., opened A.C.’s Icees, a truck selling frozen lemonade that has been part of the local community for more than 40 years.

Following a routine run at Kennedy Park in old Coconut Grove, A.C. fruitlessly searched for a place that could serve cold drinks, and shortly after created his famous frozen, or rather “frosted,” lemonade. He acquired a lease from the city to operate inside the park and hasn’t moved — until recently. The truck is temporarily located on the corner of South Bayshore Drive and Pan American Drive, just outside Miami City Hall. He is offering only takeout service, “no lingering” is allowed.

Even though he is not at his usual spot at Kennedy Park, people still come from all over Miami-Dade to visit the truck and A.C. himself. Many patrons say they have early childhood memories of purchasing a lemonade from A.C. as children.

“We were very happy to see him here and that people were still supporting [him],” said longtime Grove resident Susana SimanSuarez. “Yeah absolutely, he’s a local favorite.”

Barring a change in policy by the City of Miami, A.C. said he will be out from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. every day in an effort to offer a semblance of normalcy.

“When the time is right and everything is gone then everything should be reopened,” A.C. said. “To do it before is defeating the purpose of what we’ve been going through in the last few weeks.”

This story was originally published April 21, 2020 at 4:44 PM.