PROGRESS 2013
Annie's Frozen Custard grows with the flow One family's love of ice cream results in an Edwardsville empire By BILL TUCKER btucker@edwpub.net
K
great.
ay Gieszelmann didn’t stop at a good idea. She took it all the way to
Now, she is the undisputed, if unofficial, queen of frozen custard in the metro-east as the owner and operator of the two Annie’s Frozen Custard shops. Entering its 17th season overall, Annie’s branched out last year, opening a year-round, dine-in location in Glen Carbon. It compliments the original Edwardsville location, a walkup facility located in what was once a Jack Schmidt Ford dealership. Gieszelmann said the process began about 19 years ago and grew from a simple desire. “It was just because our kids were little and we liked ice cream,” she said. Two years of research later, Annie’s Frozen Custard opened for business at 245 S. Buchanan St. in Edwardsville. Gieszelmann’s daughters, Sarah and Emily, didn’t mind driving all over Madison County to buy frozen treats, but it wasn’t exactly Kay’s first
choice. “We were going to Bobby’s in Maryville, Baskin Robbins in Granite City with my kids, my nephews. We made it a family event,” Gieszelmann said. “There wasn’t really anything in Edwardsville. That’s how it got started. The love of the frozen treat is really what drove us.” So Gieszelmann, with the help and encouragement of her husband, took a leap of faith. “Leo and I always wanted to own our own business. It takes a special kind of person,” Gieszelmann said. “It’s a risk.” So Gieszelmann and her daughter, Sarah, traveled to Milwaukee to research – and work at – a frozen custard shop. Annie’s first location soon followed. Sarah has since moved on from the family business, working as an emergency room nurse in St. Louis. But her younger sister, Emily Reznack, stayed with Annie’s. “My youngest daughter manages the Glen Carbon store,” Gieszelmann said. “She was 10 when we opened the Edwardsville store. Her best friend, Abby (Busker), manages the Edwardsville store. Those girls were little. They could walk over from middle school when the Edwardsville store
Marci Winters-McLaughlin/Intelligencer
Above, Annie's original location at 245 S. Buchanan St. in Edwardsville. Below, the Glen Carbon location at 11 Illini Dr. first opened.” Annie’s Edwardsville location opens for the 2013 season Feb. 24. The Glen Carbon store, meanwhile, will celebrate its first anniversary on March 21st. Gieszelmann has a partner in the Glen Carbon location, attorney Glenn Bradford, the man who pushed the idea. “It has gone very well,” Gieszelmann said of the Glen Carbon plan. “The drive thru is wonderful. Edwardsville and Glen Carbon have been very good to us.” That goes along with Gieszelmann’s belief that local people should support local businesses and vice versa. “I work very hard to support all of the Edwardsville businesses and all of the independents particularly,” she said. “We try to give back. We had a fundraiser for Relay for Life. I think this year we’re going to try to do something for the orchestra. We’ve had a benefit for the Boundless Playground.” Gieszelmann also believes her employees help separate Annie’s from the crowd. During peak times, Annie’s employs approximately 30 people, with many sharing time between locations. “I can’t say enough about the employees,” Gieszelmann said, pointing out the responsibilities of the two store managers in particular.
“They do an excellent, excellent job. And it can be a pretty big ship you’re steering.” There is no closely-guarded secret to the custard recipe used at Annie’s, although an emphasis is placed on freshness. “It’s an all-natural mix. There are no preservatives in it,” Gieszelmann said. “We make it fresh all day long. It’s not frozen.” And it’s not just vanilla. Annie’s keeps things interesting with its standard offerings of vanilla, vanilla lite, chocolate and butter pecan. There’s also a flavor of the week – peppermint was offered over the holidays and summer usually features the interestingly named lemony snicket. “We have flavors. We’re the only independent custard shop on this side of the river that does that.” Gieszelmann said. In addition to the frozen custard, Annie’s offers concretes, sundaes, shakes and more. Currently, Annie’s is conducting a create-your-own concrete contest on its Facebook page. Also available, and often overlooked, is the line of gourmet hot dogs available for those who want something savory with the sweet. When both stores are open, their menus mirror each others and Gieszelmann likes it that way. See "ANNIES" on Page 5