By Cate Casparius ’19
Inklings follows up on Dan Woog’s story regarding Frosty Bear’s closing, originally posted on the local blog 06880.
“Wait, wait, wait, what?” one saddened Staples student, Sophie Attkiss ’19, reacted when news broke that Frosty Bear, a local ice cream stand located in the gazebo outside of Christie’s Country Store on Cross Highway, will not be reopening this season (May-September) for what could’ve been their eighth year of business.
Owner of Christie’s, John Hooper, explained that in 2009 he leased the gazebo outside of his country store to John Martin. That summer the gazebo had evolved into a family run ice cream stand.
“For the last three years, almost every day when it got warmer out, my friends and I would walk from Bedford to Christie’s at the end of the day,” Maya Reiner ’21 said. “I know the walk is only a mile or so, but when it’s really hot it seems like forever until we get our ice creams. Then we know it was all worth it.”
Since the opening of Frosty Bear there have been half a dozen or so new ice cream or frozen yogurt places that have opened up throughout Westport, making it harder for existing ice cream shops in the area.
Hooper explained one reason for the store’s closing. “In this location, the gas pumps were closed due to lack of business and now Frosty can’t keep up. Maybe I’m just old, but it saddens me to see the character of the town go with the closing of small mom and pop businesses and business located within residential neighborhoods.”
Lauren Martin, eldest daughter and employee, shared her favorite Frosty Bear memory. “I think it was either the first or second year we had been open. On Halloween we dressed up to give out paw scoops to anyone who showed up to trick-or-treat in a costume. A lot of people didn’t come, but I still remember it being so fun.”
The future of the vacant gazebo is still undecided. Hooper shared that he may take over the gazebo or re-lease it, but he is unsure at the moment. Despite the uncertainty, there are still options for customers who seek ice cream.
“We still sell novelty ice cream,” Hooper mentioned. “I think there are many great alternatives to get ice cream within Westport and Fairfield should the space stay closed.”
Although Christie’s may sell novelty ice cream, on a warm sunny day there’s nothing like a “double scoop of cookie monster in a waffle cone,” Ollie Lindenbaum ’19 said.
The Westport location is gone, but there is still a cozy Frosty Bear located at 695 Main Street, (Rt 25), Monroe, CT 06468.
Photo used under the Creative Commons License
