|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
By 1951, over 350 franchises had opened across California. All locations used the Soft Serve mix made at Compton Dairy.
In 1951, Foster decided to leave the Soft Serve business behind and sold control of his franchises for $1 million to the Meyenberg Milk Products Company, which chose to use their own milk products for their franchises instead of Compton Dairy’s.
Over the decades, ownership of the Fosters Freeze company has changed numerous times. The headquarters is now in Pomona, California. Currently, 62 locations remain operational. Several of these surviving locations are quite interesting. Atwater Village Fosters Freeze was used as a location in the 1994 film “Pulp Fiction.” The Hawthorne location was where the Beach Boys used to hang out. The line about cruising to the hamburger stand in their song “Fun, Fun, Fun” is said to be about the Hawthorne location.
In 1994, the El Polo Loco chain began serving Fosters Freeze in its restaurants, adding to its availability.
To this day, the mention of Fosters Freeze instantly invokes warm memories of one of America’s favorite cold treats.
On a personal note, as a kid growing up on the peninsula, one of our neighbors owned the Fosters Freeze on Woodside Road in Redwood City. Getting an occasional free softy was really a treat!
As I bring this memento to its conclusion, may I suggest that the next time you find yourself out on a Saturday evening or a pleasant Sunday afternoon, and you feel like indulging in a cold Soft Serve at Fosters Freeze, you may enjoy sharing some of its rich history with folks who serve you. They may get a kick out of their company history!
Everything else is just history
