(Photos: Daniel Maurer)

Exactly nine years ago to this day, I set off the alarm bells on Grub Street: “Greenpoint Braces for Slurpee Versus Slush Puppie Showdown.” At the time, a 7-Eleven was poised to hit Manhattan Avenue just blocks away from where Greenpoint Finest Deli had been serving up Slush Puppies for years. I’m sorry to inform you, nine years later, that 7-Eleven has won out. Greenpoint Finest Deli has closed and is being replaced by a bagel shop called Bagelology. The Slush Puppie machine is a goner.

As I noted so very long ago, when I had significantly fewer cavities, Slush Puppies are nearly impossible to come by in New York City. Even back then, Chowhounders (remember Chowhounders?) were asking: “Slush Puppie in New York— does it exist?”

Yes, it does, but you pretty much have to travel to far-flung outerborough pizza parlors and delis to find the few machines that are still spinning. Manhattan? Fuhgeddaboudit. There are Slurpees to be had, but they just aren’t the same. I mean, sure, Slurpees existed before Slush Puppies, but in the words of the Cincinnati peanut salesman who launched Slush Puppie in 1970, “there was no magic” to Slurpees. To this day, they don’t have that pebbly texture that Slush Puppies have. Never mind that lovable mascot, who predates McGruff the Crime Dog, Mr. Peanutbutter from BoJack Horseman, and all those other beloved cartoon dogs.

Anyway, now that I’ve delivered the bad news, here’s the good news: There’s still–against all odds– a Slush Puppie machine in Greenpoint. And unlike the one at Greenpoint Finest Deli, which was fiercely protected behind the counter, this one is a self-serve one. That’s right: all the syrup squirts your heart desires! (But please, be reasonable, we don’t want these guys going out of business.) American Deli Market, at 97 Franklin Street, has the connect. Just be careful out there: With temperatures dipping into the 30s this weekend, we are thoroughly in brain-freeze territory.