Iconic ice cream shop owners in property dispute with CCI

Part of 80-year-old K Rustom store may have to make way for CCI’s expansion plans

Children of K Rustom, who opened the shop in 1937, unwilling to give up the section of the store that houses an art gallery, say compensation is not enough

The Cricket Club of India (CCI) is embroiled in a property dispute with the owners of iconic ice cream parlour in Churchgate, K Rustom, for part of their shop.

CCI, which is the landlord, wants the Rustom family to hand over the part of the shop that now houses an art gallery, but the family is unwilling. “My father (Khodabux Rustom) got the shop in 1937 and started the ice cream parlour in 1953. Since then, that has been our only source of livelihood,” says Aban Rustom, daughter of late Khodabux who passed away in 1970. Aban, 75, is the youngest of late Khodabux’s four children.


The place has been under dispute between the owners of the parlour, famous for its ice cream sandwich, and the landlords, Cricket Club of India (CCI), for quite some time but of late, extra effort is being made to explore the possibility of a settlement. Compensation has been offered to the Rustom family, but the latter feels it is insufficient.

Premal Udani, acting president of CCI, told Mirror, “It is a requirement as the club is getting bigger. There is no question of asking anybody to vacate. It is just that there is a requirement and we will follow the due process of law.”

A picture from its earlier days that hangs on the walls of K Rustom

While there is no immediate threat to the ice cream parlour, the Rustoms are worried that if there is an eviction notice in the future, the entire area could be in jeopardy. The art gallery is now separated from the parlour by only a cardboard wall. “If they want to settle for only the painting shop, we’re fine. But they are going back and forth.” “If there is an eviction notice, we can’t go anywhere,” she said.

Discussions have been on between the two parties for quite a while but a solution has eluded them.

“They come and go and don’t settle the matter. We won’t leave the parlour, but they have offered a very small amount for the larger area of the shop. We are four members and after paying the tax, we will be left with nothing individually,” claims Aban.

But CCI officials insist that they will not use force to evict the tenants. “We will not use force, say nikalo and bhagao… In some cases we win and in some cases we don’t. That is life,” said Udani.

Explaining the need to get the extra area, Udani said, “There is a bonafide requirement. We have our office, which is expanding. There is no place available in the building for expansion. We are making an attempt to find a solution.”

He added that CCI members are willing to engage in constructive dialogue. “The matter is in court. But we’re exploring an out-of-court settlement. We want to be good landlords, we never fight with anyone. We will not use any bullying tactics. We will not do anything that precipitates the matter,” he said, and added on a sporting note, “We’re CCI, we’re a sports club, sportsmanship is very necessary.”