Remembering Tastee Freez
Photo by Reid Simmons in February 2015
For several summers in the late 50's and early 60's, I was a life-guard at the West Chicago Swimming Pool as well as a member of the Sharks swimming team. Almost every night after the pool closed, or a swim meet ended, I can remember walking from the pool, straight up Fremont St, to the Tastee Freez for a late night snack with friends and/or neighbors.
My purchase of choice was usually a milk shake and my favorites were Marshmallow-Butterscotch or Vanilla. Occasionally I would splurge on a banana-split with chocolate, marshmallow and butterscotch toppings, whipped cream and a cherry. No nuts! After some cool refreshments on a warm summer night, we all went our separate ways home. Ah, the good old days! (by Reid Simmons). In 2008, the Daily Herald published an interesting Historical review of the West Chicago Tastee Freez, located 130 Fremont Street just north of Washington Street.
While not listed on the offical Tastee Freez website, the building was built in 1955 and still stands at this same location. However, the house on the left (in the photo above) has been replaced by a parking lot. As near as I can tell, this business closed in 2004 and was finally purchased in 2007. It had extensive remodeling to bring it up to city code and reopened in May 2007. Fortunately, the Tastee Freez was still open for business in mid October, 2017! Man, those shakes are good....!!!! |
Photo by Reid Simmons, April 2016.
In August, 2020, Stanley Korona reported this business was once again closed and up for sale. Could this be the last of an era?
In May, 2023, Reid & Margo Simmons stopped for an ice cream cone. Sometime within the past few years, this business was re-incarnated as the Jalapeno Burger!
The house on the southside (left-side of the picture below) was torn down and paved as a parking lot after the 2015 photo (left column). This parking lot has since been replaced by a brick building. The funeral home is still on the north side (out of view on the right side of the picture below). 
Photo by Reid Simmons, May 2023
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