GiGi’s Ice Cream of Punta Gorda grows with demand 

Since opening GiGi’s Ice Cream of Punta Gorda in January 2023, Larry and Anna Marie “Gigi” Mishkin have expanded their menu far beyond frozen treats to meet the needs of the community. 

The shop offers more than 40 flavors of ice cream, gelato and sorbet, but customers also can order lobster rolls, corned beef sandwiches, homemade chili, pulled pork, mac and cheese and quarter-pound hot dogs from a local butcher. Acai bowls round out the menu for those looking for lighter options. 

The Mishkins added more food items after the 2024 hurricanes forced several nearby businesses, including a deli and an acai bowl restaurant, to close. Beginning next week, GiGi’s will serve coffee, espresso and cappuccinos made with fresh-ground beans, including Jamaican Blue Mountain. The shop already offers smoothies and milkshakes. 

While the Mishkins are the owners and investors, Larry Mishkin’s son, Ryan, is the general manager and runs the business. 

The idea for GiGi’s started with Anna Marie’s passion for baking. Her scratch-made cakes and pies were so popular with her family that holiday gatherings weren’t complete without her carrot cake. “They wouldn’t let me into the house on holidays if I didn’t bring my carrot cake,” she said. 

When the Mishkins moved to Punta Gorda, they began searching for a place to share her baked goods with a wider audience. They found it in a 2,000-square-foot former convenience store at 311 W. Marion Ave., where they signed a lease and opened GiGi’s. 

From the start, the couple distinguished their products with a commitment to natural ingredients. Their ice cream and gelato are made from scratch with real milk, cream, cane sugar and fresh fruit. 

“Our gelato is made from scratch, and it’s made from fresh fruit,” Larry Mishkin said, noting that some establishments rely on powders. One flavor, for example, features raspberry ribbons made from fresh berries cooked into syrup before being folded into the ice cream. 

Anna Marie’s cakes and pies also find their way into the ice cream, with flavors such as German chocolate cake, sweet potato pie and apple pie. A refrigerated case in the shop also displays her cookies and slices of cake for purchase. 

The Mishkins originally envisioned a display wall of candy, but those plans were delayed after hurricanes Helene and Milton flooded the shop. Restoration came first, and the candy wall remains a project for the future. 

The couple wanted GiGi’s to evoke the feel of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, where friends and families could enjoy banana splits and milkshakes. But unlike those classic shops, GiGi’s offers a broader menu that reflects both tradition and changing tastes. 

Business grew slowly in the first year, Larry Mishkin admitted, but the second year brought a surge in demand. The Mishkins had to purchase additional equipment to keep up. Customers now span all generations, from schoolchildren who stop by after class to seniors seeking a sweet treat. 

Each child leaves with a small rubber duck, one of thousands given away since opening. Decorated ducks now line shelves throughout the shop, adding to its whimsical atmosphere. Paper-covered tables invite customers to doodle with crayons, while colorful murals brighten the walls. 

GiGi’s operates under a guiding motto: “Lead by love.” Larry Mishkin said the phrase reflects their mission to make the shop a place of warmth and welcome. 

He explained that the world can sometimes be dark and frightening, but GiGi’s was designed to be a welcoming beacon spreading good vibes while providing great food.