By Rebecca String
Elm Staff Writer
- Photo courtesy of Anna Striegl
The fresh face of The Freeze is a welcoming sight to all of those who drive down 213 on a regular basis.
With a brand new sign, the burger joint is an inviting local business. Cars are frequently parked outside, demonstrating the growing popularity of the new company, which provides a nice place for Chestertown residents to meet while ordering and picking up their meals.
While most of Washington College, those who arrived after 1971, only remember the building as Downey`s, some may recognize The Freeze as a blast from the past from when it still had the name Tastee-Freez, which was employed by current owner, Eric Graham`s family.
Graham is excited with the way business has been progressing since their opening over the summer.
“The overall response has been positive. People are happy that we reopened,” he said.
The steady flow of customers provides a positive message for the business as well.
One new group of people that Graham would like to reach out to is the student body. While he notes that there have been a few sightings of WC apparel coming through his doors, he hopes that more will follow.
“I would like to get more students interested,” he said. “I know the school has only been open for a short time, but I would like to see more students.”
Along with a fresh new look, The Freeze offers high-quality hamburgers and a new ice cream mix. In addition, while the premise of The Freeze remains similar to that of its predecessor, it is also offering up two new dishes, which are posted on the wall for the customer’s convenience.
The response to the changes made by The Freeze has been positive.
“Downey’s looked run-down. I like the way The Freeze looks because no one wants to go to a rundown restaurant,” said senior Chris Brown.
In addition, he commented that the name change was another positive improvement. While he liked that Downey’s had a family feel to it, The Freeze sounds a lot more inviting.
An added bonus is that unlike many of the local businesses, The Freeze is open late, which is another incentive for WC students to sample some of its treats.
“It’s really the only place to get a good milkshake close by to campus. Also, they are open until 10 p.m. Students don’t want a milkshake at 3 p.m. They want one at night while studying.”