RIP Ted Drewes Jr

[AdmiralKird]

In a world where people increasingly can't even be bothered to go get their own groceries, it's hard to imagine them continuing with just two locations.

They did have a Ted Drewes dispenser in Lambert, like a machine, in the non-SW terminal when I was there in the Winter.

[Popeye_Card]

I don't think they'll have too much trouble surviving. Given, I haven't been there since COVID so I don't know how that has impacted them, but they've always been slammed during the summertime despite having very difficult locations to get to. Well not difficult, but unless you live nearby they aren't exactly quick and convenient to get to compared to the other StL attractions. For example, it is a 15 minute trip from Forrest Park, or from downtown. Assuming you're not going back to south city, you have a several minute trip back to an interstate to get back to St. Chuck or wherever you are headed.

Anyway, whatever they've been doing, it has worked. They'll just need to have a hologram Ted Drewes for the ads.

[heyzeus]

There's a happy medium between becoming Baskin Robins and keeping two locations forever. I'd love to see them expand some, but I'll admit it does make Ted's a special treat, a destination, when I have to drive down to Chippewa from my mom's house in Chesterfield.

[mtcefc]

This was shown on TV here in the UK in 2019 (the St Louis bit starts at 42:30)

It was kind of cool seeing a place I had been on TV.

I suppose it is one of those places with a loyal local customer base.

I will be going when I am over next week at least once.

[JoeMcKim]

Ted II was 96 how old is the next generation of the Drewes' family? And will they want to continue running it the same way?

With Ted at 96, I'm pretty sure they were already running it.

Yeah, I'm sure they've been running it probably for nearly 20 years now. I know they just want to stay a nice small local business but they probably can add a few more locations. Only running 2 locations the same way they've always been is sticking to their business model a little bit too much. I love Ted Drewes and try to stop by there when I'm vaguelly nearby but I don't think I'm going to drive drastically out of my way to eat it when a DQ Blizzard is close enough.

Well it's a seasonal business...though they sell Christmas trees too. So I can see keeping the locations down and focusing on quality.

I'm not saying expand the company to 20 locations. But add 2 or 3 more locations. Add a South County location, Downtown and a St. Charles location for example.

[CardsofSTL]

Ted II was 96 how old is the next generation of the Drewes' family? And will they want to continue running it the same way?

With Ted at 96, I'm pretty sure they were already running it.

Yeah, I'm sure they've been running it probably for nearly 20 years now. I know they just want to stay a nice small local business but they probably can add a few more locations. Only running 2 locations the same way they've always been is sticking to their business model a little bit too much. I love Ted Drewes and try to stop by there when I'm vaguelly nearby but I don't think I'm going to drive drastically out of my way to eat it when a DQ Blizzard is close enough.

Well it's a seasonal business...though they sell Christmas trees too. So I can see keeping the locations down and focusing on quality.

I'm not saying expand the company to 20 locations. But add 2 or 3 more locations. Add a South County location, Downtown and a St. Charles location for example.

The more locations you have to manage the higher the possibility of the brand quality degrading.

[sighyoung]

I agree about the brand degrading if expansion is handled poorly.

At the same time, I never had any because it was inaccessible from where I lived, and the lines were insane during the few times I was near its location on Chippewa when it was open. In fact, even when I was attending Nottingham and Busch Schools in the late 60's and through the 70's, Ted Drewes always seemed to be a quintessential South St. Louis institution--not hostile, certainly, but just a fixture in a different neighborhood half-an-hour away on a summer's day. Velvet Freeze or Mavrakos or the Hostess discount store, to name just three places, were closer to me.

So I'm very sorry the man died, and I'm glad he made so many people happy, but he and his custard were never part of my life, nor intended to be.

[Popeye_Card]

I agree about the brand degrading if expansion is handled poorly.

At the same time, I never had any because it was inaccessible from where I lived, and the lines were insane during the few times I was near its location in South St. Louis when it was open. In fact, even when I was attending Nottingham and Busch Schools in the late 60's and through the 70's, Ted Drewes always seemed to be a quintessential South St. Louis institution--not hostile, certainly, but just a fixture in a different neighborhood half-an-hour away on a summer's day. Velvet Freeze or Mavrakos or the Hostess discount store, to name just three places, were closer to me.

So I'm very sorry the man died, and I'm glad he made so many people happy, but he and his custard were never part of my life, nor intended to be.

As always sigh, I really appreciate you posting your perspective on these things.

[JoeMcKim]

Being able to handle the brand quality all in the same city at the total of 5 locations max shouldn't be that hard to do.

[GeddyWrox]

I agree about the brand degrading if expansion is handled poorly.

At the same time, I never had any because it was inaccessible from where I lived, and the lines were insane during the few times I was near its location in South St. Louis when it was open. In fact, even when I was attending Nottingham and Busch Schools in the late 60's and through the 70's, Ted Drewes always seemed to be a quintessential South St. Louis institution--not hostile, certainly, but just a fixture in a different neighborhood half-an-hour away on a summer's day. Velvet Freeze or Mavrakos or the Hostess discount store, to name just three places, were closer to me.

So I'm very sorry the man died, and I'm glad he made so many people happy, but he and his custard were never part of my life, nor intended to be.

As always sigh, I really appreciate you posting your perspective on these things.

Same. ++