Ted Drewes

Ted Drewes is a frozen custard shop well-known in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. The original was established in 1930 on Natural Bridge Road, with a second location following the next year on South Grand. A decade later, a third location opened on historic U.S. Route 66 (on the segment also known as Chippewa). For decades, the Grand Avenue location was the flagship store, serving what was then a densely populated urban clientele. It would open in April and close on October 31. The Natural Bridge location closed in 1958. The Chippewa location served as an outpost near the city limits for travelers heading to or returning from an Ozark weekend. The Route 66 location used to be open between Memorial Day and Labor Day. With the shifting population from the city to the county, the Chippwa store became the flagship store taking on an extended season while the shop on Grand shortened its seasonal operation. In the wake of the transition, the Chippewa Street store expanded its building and bought a neighboring property to accommodate parking. Unlike some later frozen custard stands, Ted Drewes only makes their custard in one flavor (vanilla) and adds other flavorings and toppings when an order is placed.

The shop may be best known for a specialty called a "concrete", which is custard blended with any of dozens of ingredients, and served in a large yellow cup with a spoon and straw. Concretes are blended so thick that they and their spoon do not fall out when their cup is turned upside-down; servers often demonstrate this before handing customers their order. The Concrete is the inspiration for Dairy Queen's later Blizzard shake (which is made with soft serve in comparison to the thicker frozen custard of Ted Drewes). [cite news|first=Bill |last=Reed |author= |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20050415/ai_n13618385 |title=Blizzard approximates St. Louis original concrete |work= |publisher=Colorado Springs Gazette |pages= |page= |date=2005-04-15 |accessdate=2006-05-19 ] Some ingredients, such as apple and pumpkin pie, appear for a short period every year in seasonal varieties.

Both locations are extremely popular during the spring and summer months, and is a tradition for many after attending St. Louis Cardinals games.

According to Ted Drewes, Jr., he has fielded numerous requests to turn the small chain into a nationwide franchise but has refused.

Though in past years the stands have closed for regular business in the fall, recently the Chippewa (U.S. Route 66) store has stayed open later in the year, closing down for the winter in January. The Route 66 location is famously known as the only frozen-desert stand to operate 24/7 during summer months in the entire United States. The South Grand location is closed for a much longer time period opening only for summer business approximately after May 13th (Mothers day). In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Ted Drewes also sells live Christmas trees from the parking lot. Ted Drewes frozen custard is also available in St. Louis area grocery stores, but this was not always the case.

In 2006, the Route 66 location was featured on the Food Network show "Feasting on Asphalt", hosted by Alton Brown.

In a poll of St. Louis citizens, 96% would go to Ted Drewes for frozen custard over any other establishment.Fact|date=June 2008

Both Ted Drewes locations have products certified kosher by the Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis.

Notes

ee also

*Frozen custard

External links

* [http://www.teddrewes.com/Drewes.asp Website of Ted Drewes]