Locals rally to keep Menlo Park Foster's Freeze from closing

MENLO PARK, Calif. (KTVU) - Foster's Freeze, a fixture in Menlo Park for nearly 70 years, is set to close its doors Wednesday, but not if a group of residents who have begun a grassroots effort to try to save the business have their say.

Since it opened back in 1946, countless cones and sundaes have served at Foster's Freeze. And now, Menlo Park residents are lining up for their last, among them, Mary Lou Hollywood and her grandson.

"This is the last day I have him this week, and they're closing on Wednesday. So he had to come get his ice cream," Hollywood said.

"It's very sad. It's very sad for me, truly," said resident Rose Mein, who's been coming to Foster's Freeze since she was six.

People have been flocking to the location ever since owner Sung Lee put up signs announcing the closure. He says it's simply gotten too expensive to stay open. Besides, there are plans to break ground on a big new development here next year.

"I really appreciate all the customers. They care about us," said Lee.

And they do care. They care so much, that they've begun a grassroots effort to try to save the business, already pledging tens of thousands of dollars.

"Residents actually showed up on my doorstep asking, 'What can we do?'" said Menlo Park City Councilman Ray Mueller.

The answer may be to pick up the Foster's Freeze and put it down in a new spot. City Councilman Ray Mueller was tapped to spearhead the project.

"So our first choice scenario obviously is to find a new location for the Foster's Freeze; to actually move the business there, refurbish it and keep Mr. Lee and his family in town," explained Mueller.

The second choice would be to move to the little league fields at Burgess Park. It wouldn't be an official Foster's Freeze, but it wouldn't be gone either.

"It would be nice if it went to Burgess to the little league park, so the kids could have their Foster's Freezes over there. Because all their fathers and their mothers had their Foster's Freeze," said resident Pat Wegner.

They might move the whole building, or perhaps just the iconic signs. No word on what it might cost. And while many here seem excited by the prospect, they're still worried when Foster's Freeze closes Wednesday, it will be for good.

"I'll look forward to hearing details about it, because I'm all over that. I will definitely support it where ever they go," said Mein.

All pledges of donations are going through City Councilman Mueller's office right now. He can be contacted at menlo.mueller@gmail.com.

There is also a farewell party set for Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Foster's Freeze.