KARL DROGE ICE CREAM, Bay Ridge

by Kevin Walsh

At the unusual intersection of 6th Avenue and 66th Street in Bay Ridge, a couple of doors from the Antenna King, sat an important part of my boyhood and young manhood, Karl Droge Ice Cream. A visit there was always de rigueur after a catch with the old man in Lief Ericson Square, which was just across 66th Street. Never an adventurer, I was always one for the soft vanilla cup or cone and besides, when I was a kid, chocolate syrup was always vomited back up anyway, so I stayed away from it till my system could handle it.

Droge hung in there well into the 1980s and perhaps even the 1990s (I moved from Bay Ridge to Flushing in 1993) so it was often a stop for me after hours of mad bike pedaling from Bay Ridge to the far reaches of Brooklyn and Queens. That cold ice cream went down great in the thermonuclear heat of a New York summer.

Another Bay Ridge icon, Zeke’s Roast Beef, was at 8th Avenue and 66th Street for many years. It just went out of business again after a few years on 3rd Avenue.

photo: Brooklyn Historical Society

Anyone remember Karl Droge? kevinjudewalsh@gmail.com

10/19/16

25 comments

Joan Carbonaro July 16, 2017 - 8:50 am

I remember the nuns serving us Karl Droge ice cream when we had our little end of the school year class parties. We sat at our desks enjoying the our vanilla ice cream and feel so thrilled to be almost done with school. For some reason (unknown to us ), vanilla was the only flavor they gave us. We never questioned why we received only the one variety of this delicious treat, since it would seem less than gracious. But, I remember thinking that it might have some religious significance, such as purity. More likely, they figured that if it dripped onto our white blouses or shirts of careless grade schoolers it wouldn’t look as obvious.

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Robert Collaro June 4, 2020 - 8:01 am

My memories of Karl drodge was getting lemon ice with my grandfather and getting vanilla ice cream cone (skyscraper ) when I went with my grandmother.My family owned the butcher shop on 69 th st. (184). They also owned. Collaro’s Italian restaurants in Brooklyn. They were the good old days in Bay Ridge. Bob Collaro.

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Garry King October 9, 2017 - 8:37 am

Carolyn Droge, Karl’s daughter, would always bring ice cream, any time there was a school party at P.S.170 on Ovington(70thSt) and 6th Ave. I didn’t get to partake in that, I went to St. Ephrems, but many of my friends were her classmates. Every time I went to Karl Droge, if Carolyn was behind the counter, my chocolate heavy frosteds, were extra heavy.

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Ed Bohrer October 27, 2017 - 9:25 am

Remember it well. Loved it!

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Don August 11, 2019 - 8:03 am

Droges was a staple of our childhood in Bay Ridge in the 40s and 50s. The vanilla cups with crushed almond topping was always waiting for us in the church basement after the Brooklyn Day parades. They were delivered packed in dry ice which led to our first fog creating experiences dropping the dry ice into water. But my favorite Droges memories was walking to the shop on a warm summer evening and getting a large pineapple ice.

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Debra C November 1, 2017 - 5:49 am

We used to get this ice cream for all kids’ events at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in the60s and 70s. I remember the little cups of vanilla having some sort of crunchy coating on top.

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Lilith December 28, 2017 - 7:51 am

Watching HBO’s The Deuce and they just mentioned the shop. One of the best of my childhood memories came flooding back.

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Laura Shinick December 28, 2017 - 10:42 pm

Karl droge was my aunts father in law

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Margarete droge Bickerstaff January 5, 2018 - 9:05 pm

I am looking for my grandfather, Karl Ernst Droge. He came over to states from Germany, i believe before WWII. Do u happen to have a picture of him. We may be related. My maiden name is Droge. Father Erwin, grandmother Erna Droge.

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Marge Droge May 21, 2018 - 10:54 am

Karl M. Droge was my father, and Karl N. Droge was my grandfather. Karl N. also came over from (northern) Germany. He came with $17 and eventually built the ice cream factory. I’m Marge Droge, a one-time manager of the ice cream stand. My sister, Carolyn, managed it before I did.

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Roger Erker September 30, 2018 - 10:56 pm

Hello Marge. My name is Roger Erker. Our family were neighbors with you on 85th st. I hope life as been good to you. Your ice cream was always very good. Went to the deli on 7th avenue as often as I could for my favorite, the orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream

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Rich Salzano April 30, 2019 - 2:28 pm

Loved Karl Droge. Thursday night were treat night. My mom went to bingo and our Father took us to Karl Droge for ices n ice cream.

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Margarete Droge Bickerstaff June 12, 2018 - 12:07 am

If u have a picture of him i can compare. We may be cousins. I would love to hear about him. If this is him ge has a daughter still alive. She wou ld like to know about him as well before she passes and where he is buried. U can email me at maggiemay6034@comcast.net

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Walter P Guilfoyle June 17, 2018 - 1:17 am

Karl Droge was for the kids of Bay Ridge our Oasis we would gladly wait in line for the sweet treat
it was a wonderful memory of growing up in Brooklyn,NY Thank’s for the memories Karl Droge Family
That Ice cream store and the Fortway Theatre as well as Melody Lanes Bowling alley

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Pat Sandel June 30, 2018 - 3:11 pm

I went to Resurrection in Gerritsen Beach. Every school, scout, church function ended with Carl Droge’s bisque tortoni.

Pat Sandel

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steve mcgovern August 25, 2018 - 12:22 pm

I remember so fondly after playing softball mr haggerty would buy us all icecream and ices back in the late fifties

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Pam Cook August 14, 2019 - 9:42 am

Loved Karl Droge.
Every Sunday afternoon after church and a huge dinner in the middle of the day, there we would go.
We walked to the water, settled on a splintery wooden bench (tough on the legs of little girls in Sunday dresses), and ordered lemon ice in a squishy white paper cup. Sufficiently sticky all over, we walked home to 79th and 5th, popped into the tub, and read our Golden Books til bedtime. Oh how simple life was in Brooklyn in the 50’s.

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Michael Quinn November 2, 2019 - 6:38 am

I was born in Brooklyn. My grandparents owned a deli on 5th ave. For a long time in the 50’s and 60’s. When we visited my grandparents, my aunt would take us to Karl drodge’s for ice cream. Totally different ice cream than today. It was good memories. Tell me if I’m wrong but life seemed simpler then it is today. I remember the neli bly circus to. Lord help us. I think this country is in trouble.

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Anonymous February 29, 2020 - 12:21 pm

I worked at 7-up Brooklyn Bottling Co. at 6401 6th Ave. in the mid 70’s and on hot summer days during our afternoon break we would get ice cream at Karl Droge just a quick walk across 65th St. The ice cream was more like custard you can’t find ice cream like that anymore!

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Ken Lango March 23, 2020 - 12:25 pm

I lived on Ovington Ave between 5th and 6th Ave. In the mid 50’s about 6-8 of us played ball in the park across 6th Avenue. After a game in the summer we would always go to Karl Drodge for ice cream. My favorite was the ices or sherbet. Wonderful memories.

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LL June 25, 2020 - 9:00 pm

Oh the perfect Droges cremalata ice! My aunt still lives nearby. Anyone remember the Anastasios of Ft. Hamilton?

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Steve L June 27, 2020 - 8:56 am

I was 8 years old in the summer of 1962, and that photo brings me back to when I was neck high to those service windows and would save up the 50 cents for a Karl Droge “Chocolate Malt”. My friends and I would walk from our block, (70th street between 8th and Ft. Hamilton PKWY), and it was always worth the walk! Does anyone remember the open stand on 6th avenue next to Leif Erikson Park between the park and Erik place? They used to sell crinkle cut French fries in a paper boat with a small wooden fork. I think they were 25 cents at the time and another summertime treat!!

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GL August 21, 2020 - 6:35 pm

I grew up in Dyker Heights in the 1970’s. This was my dad’s favorite ice cream shop, and if we were VERY good, we would get a ride to KD for dessert. These comments bring back so many memories. Thank you!

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Diana Jeanes September 8, 2020 - 11:00 am

My maiden name is Diana M Droge, born at Jamaica Hospital, NY in 1956. I remember Karl Droge Ice Cream being served at PS 66 for the May Day Dance Festival. All my classmates and I wondered if I was related somehow. My Dad, Herman said we were not related. I was so disappointed! I believe my uncle Karl was asked if he would be interested in taking over the business. He wasn’t interested. Oh well.

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Erika Bicic October 2, 2021 - 2:37 pm

I remember my grandfather bring me, my brother and my cousin to Karl Droge for
slushies!! Always an exciting treat and they were always delicious and refreshing. Miss those days.

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