Rita’s Italian Ice, the nation’s largest Italian Ice concept, will open its first-ever New York City location on February 14.

Located at 2486 Broadway between 92nd and 93rd on the Upper West Side, the new store will be open year-round.

As a special Valentine’s Day grand opening treat, all visitors to Rita’s new Manhattan location will receive a FREE regular-size Italian Ice on February 14, from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. in the available flavor of their choice. Special Valentine’s-themed flavors for the day will include Wild Black Cherry, Passion Fruit, and the worldwide debut of Chocolate Chocolate Chip. The new Chocolate Chocolate Chip flavor is making its global debut in the New York store on Valentine’s Day.

Additionally, the first 100 guests to visit Rita’s newest location will receive FREE Regular Ice for an entire year.

Rita’s Manhattan franchise owners and brothers Joshua and Noah Teitelbaum are quite familiar with Philadelphia, where the Rita’s brand was founded in 1984. Josh earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and Noah received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, located in Philadelphia. When it came time for a career change, Josh and Noah, both attorneys, decided that it was time to bring Rita’s to their hometown.

“My brother and I wanted to do something we really loved while interacting with people and having fun,” Josh says. “I have great memories of Rita’s from my college days, and we always complained that there wasn’t one in New York City. Noah and I decided this was our chance to change that and bring Rita’s to the Big Apple.”

The brothers signed a three-store agreement with Rita’s which will result in the opening of two other Manhattan sites. Locations on the Upper East Side and Murray Hill are expected to open in 2011.