Despite forecasted temperatures in the 40s and 50s all week, Little Italy's famous frozen lemonade spot is now open for the summer season. Mario's Italian Lemonade, 1068 W. Taylor St., opened quietly last week amid weekend temperatures in the 40s, one employee at the stand said Tuesday. Mario's typically opens for the season every May 1 and closes in September. 

The stand has been a mainstay in the neighborhood since 1954, when Mario DiPaolo Jr. helped his parents, Mario Sr. and Dorothy DiPaolo, open the family shop. Today, DiPaolo Jr. continues to operate the stand with his adult children. The stand offers more than a dozen flavors of the squeezed juice, sugar and ice concoctions, including pomegranate and watermelon varieties.