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Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in Saint Louis, Missouri, Route 66 location

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 Route 66 (on the segment also known as Chippewa). The Natural Bridge location closed in 1958. Unlike some later frozen custard stands, Ted Drewes only makes their custard in one flavor 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). ^[1] Some ingredients, such as apple and pumpkin pie, appear for a short period every year in seasonal varieties.

According to Ted Drewes, Jr. as quoted on the official website, 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 (Route 66) store has stayed open later in the year, closing down for the winter in January. 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.

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

It was 1936, the end of the Great Depression, when Lawrence Shipley, Sr. created a gourmet recipe for donuts. So delicious were the donuts that they have withstood the test of time. Cut by hand and served hot throughout the day, the donuts were 5 cents a dozen and were only sold wholesale. The product was so successful that it started to sell on the retail market in the mid 1940s. With Lawrence Sr. away on donut routes, his wife Lillie would stay behind and make the culinary delights with Lawrence Jr. at her knee.

People would come from miles around to sample the nectar of the sumptuous hot glazed donuts. Serving them hot was a goal of the elder Shipley. Lawrence Shipley, Sr. once said, "When they bite into that hot donut, it will bring them back every time."

It is that very concept that continues to bring generations of donut lovers back to Shipley's as loyal customers.

"One of the best memories I have of my father is walking to Shipley's Donuts on Saturday morning for that hot plain glazed," said Kathy Froleigh. "It was the one time of the week, when Daddy was all mine, giving me his full attention. I have tried to create that same kind of memory for my own children who I take to Shipley's every Saturday morning. They each get to pick out their favorite donuts while we sit and talk, laugh and enjoy our favorite varieties. "They never knew my father. He died before they were born. But they know him through the stories I have told of our special time together every Saturday morning when we talked about what happened during the week as we ate our donuts." "I don't know what I would do if we didn't have our Shipley's donuts," said Froleigh. "It would be like taking away part of my history and my future."

Lawrence Jr. worked in the business all of his life, continuing his fathers vision and making Shipley Do-Nuts the successful business it is today. He expanded the company to more than 190 stores around the nation in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas, 86 of which are in the Houston area.

President of the company, Lawrence W. Shipley, III, continues the tradition with strong growth and high expectations for the future. Lawrence III carries on the tradition of great donuts and kolaches and strives to find better ways of making your mornings start off right. He continues to expand the company, careful however to grow slowly, while never compromising the quality of the product and excellent customer service.

The donuts continue to delight customers of all ages. The 63 varieties remain as consistent as the freshness of the products, and although the plain glazed is by far the best seller, everyone seems to have their favorites.

Shipley Do-Nuts continues the pride and tradition on delivering the finest donuts and kolaches in the business. Shipley Do-Nuts is a gourmet product made fresh daily. The company offers excellent customer service, clean stores and friendly employees who love our donuts as much as our customers do.