Rita’s gives away free Italian ice for school supplies

Spiral notebooks, computer paper and crayons were traded for cups of Italian ice on Friday morning at Rita’s new location in La Cañada Flintridge.

The Pennsylvania-based chain quietly opened on Foothill Boulevard across the street from Trader Joe’s in August. On Friday, residents lined up for the store’s grand opening celebration, in which the first 50 customers who brought in school supplies were handed coupons for free Italian ice for one year. The school supplies will be donated to the La Cañada Unified School District.

All customers who attended the grand opening were able to receive one free regular-sized cup on Italian ice in the flavor of their choice. Some of the flavors offered at Rita’s include cotton candy, mango, and cherry.

The store also sells other specialty desserts, including frozen custard. The La Cañada location is the sixth Rita’s to open in California.

-- Tiffany Kelly, tiffany.kelly@latimes.com

Follow Tiffany on Google+ and on Twitter: @LATiffanyKelly.

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