City Honors Small Business Owner By Renaming West Philly Street
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The City of Philadelphia will be renaming a section of South 60th Street after a local business owner-- who has spent the past two decades giving back to the neighborhood, and he just opened up his first flag-ship store.
Siddiq's Real Fruit Water Ice is a gem on 60th Street near Spruce.
"This is the real McCoy," says Carol Harvey, as she dug into her a large strawberry daiquiri water ice. "It's the best in Philadelphia that I have ever had."
Like the dozens who walked into the newly opened location, Harvey loves the cold, fresh taste of the real fruit packed into Siddiq Moore's specially flavored, icy treat.
Moore said, "We have strawberry Daiquiri, white grape."
They also make kiwi, mango, water melon and more than a half-dozen other fresh fruit flavors.
The store also sells custard, waffle sundaes and other summer treats. Moore started his business 22 years ago while he was a student at Temple University.
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Since then, he's become a staple at marathons, summer camps, music festivals, block parties and he even does weddings.
"We use all fresh ingredients we do good quality stuff," says Moore.
But Moore's passion goes beyond his icy treats. Born and raised in West Philadelphia, his passion is helping others.
"I have a solution to trappings that is selling drugs," he says, "my goal is to give them an opportunity and show them how to save lives."
Moore says he is not afraid to walk the streets and talk to the corner stores to show them entrepreneurship is the solution.
"When you establish a business-- you are able to help people," he says, "it's about saving lives."
Moore says he renovates homes during the winter, employs kids from the community and mentors them.
His goal is to see them reach higher, start their own businesses and become managers. He starts with his own children.
The mentoring job is year round.
"I just want to inspire people to do more and do better for themselves," says Moore, "when my kids leave here they are going to do better for themselves."
Moore sees his business growing into a national brand.
"Siddiq's Water Ice will be the "Starbucks" of water ice," he says.
For more, go to www.siddiqswaterice.com.
