John’s Water Ice has reopened for the season

“April in South Philadelphia” means the start of the Phillies season and, since 1945, the reopening of John’s Water Ice. The dipping commences Monday, April 4, and will wrap up in October.

Anthony Cardullo Jr. will be front and center in the single-story brick building at Seventh and Christian Streets, as he has for most of his 43 years, after starting in grade school cutting lemons. He took over John’s in 1997 from his father, who took it over from his father, John, a Sicilian immigrant.

John Cardullo delivered heating oil and coal in the winter and ice in the summer, his grandson said.

» READ MORE: The best water ice in Philly

Seeking a line extension, Cardullo dug out an Italian recipe of fresh fruit, sugar, and ice and started making cherry and lemon water ice, hand-cranking it in a stainless-steel drum encased in more ice. The process is now automated, of course.

Anthony Cardullo Jr. multitasks as well; he’s been working at the Saloon restaurant up the street since he was 15.

Over the years, the Cardullos added chocolate and pineapple to the flavor board. Lemon and cherry are still the biggest sellers, alternating in the No. 1 spot. (When President Barack Obama stopped in 2011, he got a medium lemon. He ate it with a spoon, though longtime customers simply slurp the water ice and crush the wax-paper cups to squeeze it out.)

Recently, blood orange, strawberry, and mango have been offered. Cardullo said chocolate is the No. 3 flavor only until it gets hot in the summer; that’s when one of the fruit flavors will supplant it on the sales list.

Last year, Cardullo outfitted a water ice truck to roam the neighborhoods, and found that people wanted to rent it for parties. Now, there’s a second truck.

And, Cardullo said, there’s a fourth generation on the way — his 21-year-old nephew and his daughters, ages 6 and 3.