Beloved Menlo Park establishment Foster’s Freeze is closing its doors. Creative Commons image from ClatieK.

Ellie Lieberman | Spread Co-Editor 

Nothing says childhood like vanilla frozen yogurt with a chocolate shell. This is the perfect summer treat, so refreshing, yet so simple. Of course, the only place to get this American classic is the retro Menlo Park ice cream shop, Foster’s Freeze. Or was, at least. That’s why it comes as such a disappointment to hear that the shop is shutting down September 30th from it’s iconic location on Oak Grove.

It may be surprising to many that such a well-known joint is closing, but as we Bay Area residents know, it is not cheap to live on the Peninsula, nevertheless to open a store. Foster’s has many locations in California such as one in San Jose, but it is a disappointment to local frozen yogurt lovers that the one in Menlo Park is closing. Although business owner, Sung Lee, decided to close the store, his reasoning is sound. “There’s not enough sales to make a living around here. I decided to […] move out of the Bay Area,” Lee said in a story by The Almanac. But, local government members such as Ray Mueller are working to move Foster’s to another Menlo Park building, or at the least replicate the design of Foster’s and continue the tradition locally. At minimum, Mueller hopes that Foster’s can take on a temporary position at a public space such as a park. This idea would not only let returning customers get some more of their favorite ice cream, but also could create new jobs for those seeking a part-time or full time position.

Ultimately, the future of Foster’s is up to you. Anyone who is interested in continuing the business in some shape or form should email [email protected]. The future of Foster’s will be hopeful if the store receives support from the community.