Ted Drewes facts for kids
Ted Drewes is a super popular family-owned shop in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. They are famous for their delicious frozen custard. Frozen custard is like ice cream, but extra creamy and rich!
The business was started by Ted Drewes, Sr. way back in 1929. Today, they have two main locations. The shop on Chippewa Street is open almost all year. This spot is also part of the historic U.S. Route 66. Their other shop on South Grand Boulevard is open during the summer months.
Their most famous treat is called the "concrete." It's a serving of frozen custard so thick that they can turn it upside down without it falling out! It's a fun trick and shows how super thick and creamy their custard is.
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The Story of Ted Drewes
How It All Began
Ted Drewes, Sr. first learned how to make frozen custard while working at a carnival. He opened his very first shop in 1929 near St. Petersburg, Florida.
Then, in 1930, he opened his first St. Louis shop on Natural Bridge Avenue. Less than a year later, it moved a bit further west. In 1931, a second St. Louis location opened on South Grand Boulevard.
Growing and Changing Shops
A third shop opened in 1941 on Chippewa Street. This location was special because it was right on U.S. Route 66, a famous road for travelers. Over time, the Florida and Natural Bridge shops closed. But the Chippewa and South Grand locations are still open today!
For many years, the Grand Avenue shop was the main one. It was in a busy part of the city. It would open in April and close on Halloween, October 31. The Chippewa shop was more for people traveling out of the city, maybe heading to the Ozark mountains for a weekend. It used to be open only from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
The Chippewa Shop Becomes Famous
As more people moved west in the city and Route 66 became even more popular, the Chippewa store became the main location. It started staying open for more of the year. The Grand shop, however, started opening for a shorter time.
Because the Chippewa store got so busy, they made their building bigger. They even bought the property next door to make more space for parking cars. Now, the Chippewa shop is closed only for the month of January. The South Grand location is still just a summer spot.
More Than Just Custard
Did you know that in the weeks before Christmas, Ted Drewes sells live Christmas trees? It's a fun tradition!
Ted Drewes, Jr., who runs the business now, has been asked many times to turn Ted Drewes into a big national chain. But he has always said no. He wants to keep it a special family business.
In 2019, Ted Drewes celebrated a huge milestone: 90 years of serving delicious frozen custard!
Ted Drewes in the Spotlight
Ted Drewes has been featured on many TV shows and won awards!
- In 2006, the Route 66 location was on the Food Network show Feasting on Asphalt. The show was hosted by Alton Brown.
- In 2010, Bobby Flay recommended it on the "Sweet Tooth" episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
- In 2011, it was part of a special "Route 66" episode of Man v. Food Nation. This show was hosted by Adam Richman.
- In 2014, the "Riverfront Times" newspaper gave it an award for "Best Frozen Custard in St. Louis."
- In 2017, a company in Dublin, Ireland called Soolnua named Ted Drewes the 'Best ice cream shop in the world'! They publish a world ice cream index every year.
