Business in Sunnyside serves frozen treats for 35 years

SUNNYSIDE- On a hot and sunny summer day in Sunnyside, many people enjoy a frozen treat from a business that has been doing Yakima good for around for three and a half decades.

“I work seven days a week,” said Jesus Ramos, I don’t have a day off, but I love to do what I do.”

Sunnyside has been enjoying Ramos’ paletas for 35 years.

“We started with two little push carts in the beginning,” said Ramos. “It was all the capital, the equipment to do the paletas, a couple chest freezers, and that was it.”

“In the 1990s I believe, I remember when Jesus and his family came around,” said Sunnyside mayor Dean Broersma. “I actually remember them with their push cart, selling ice cream around the streets.”

Since 1989, people could enjoy a nice cold treat from Paleteria la Norteña on a hot summer day, sometimes spanning multiple generations

“Everybody in Sunnyside knows about them, my kids, I was here this weekend twice with my grandkids so three generations of my family have been enjoying paletas from here, and we continue to enjoy them.” Broersma said. “My kids, when they come home to visit, they want to come here to get some paletas.”

“That makes me so happy, they still believe in what we do,” said Ramos.

Recently, Ramos was presented with the Sunnyside Mayor’s coin for his 35 years in the community.

“We definitely wanted to recognize him for his accomplishments, for his dedication, to his business, and for what he’s done for the community of Sunnyside and all the memories all of us have as a result of that,” said Broersma.

Ramos said that he was surprised to get the coin.

“Everything is possible,” said Ramos. “Everything is possible, sometimes you try, if it does not work that way, you have to try a different way. Keep constantly trying and trying to do better and better.”