Tastee Freeze is by no means extinct. In fact one re-opened within the past few months at
California &
Armitage, the corner of the block I used to live on in Humboldt Park, Chicago.
Humboldt Park is a strongly
Puerto Rican neighborhood, extremely residential and swarming with tons and tons children.
The Tastee Freeze was revamped and opened by my friend Tony, and since he opened his doors a few months ago he hasn't had a slow moment since. From morning till late night his place is packed with children of all ages, the parking lot is filled with high school drama and bikes falling over eachother, the picnic tables are a constant mess of hot dog wrappings and chewed straws.
Despite the fact that its the dead of Chicago winter right now, and the fact that various hispanic
vendors selling all forms of
ice cream and other treats ring their bells down the streets of that community several times a day, Tastee Freeze is a huge success.