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For almost 30 years, Sung Lee has been managing his Fosters Freeze burger and ice cream joint, a Menlo Park landmark at 580 Oak Grove Ave. But the end is near.
Fosters Freeze will close on Sept. 30. The pending closure was first reported by the online site InMenlo.
Mr. Lee, who says he pays $3,000 a month for a two-bedroom apartment in San Jose, said he will be moving to a community where living is more affordable.
Business is “a very little bit down … but there’s not enough sales to make a living around here. I decided to close (and) move out of the Bay Area,” he said. “The middle class can’t stay here. The living costs are so high.”
His shop has just two employees now, down significantly from its heyday, but Mr. Lee has been there pretty much every day to unlock the doors at 10 a.m. and lock them again at 8 p.m. “I’ve been doing that for 30 years,” he said. “It’s about half my lifetime working here.”
While he has had no lease, Mr. Lee has also had no pressure to close, he said. But the landlord will not allow him to transfer ownership of the business, so he will sell what equipment he can to friends, he said.
The decision to close has been on his mind for maybe 10 years, he said.
Fosters Freeze has 87 independently operated shops in California, with locations also in Boulder Creek, Campbell, Berkeley and Alameda, according to the company’s website.
I’m sad to hear Foster freeze is leaving, yet I understand the move completely. Not only are renters leaving the area in droves, small business owners are having to move away also due to high rents and competition. Gone will be the era of walking over for a sundae, so reminiscent of the 1950’s. I will treasure my memories of Foster Freeze along with so many from my youth. Good luck Mr. Lee, we will miss you.
I am so sad to hear this. Our family has such fond memories of stopping here after our children’s soccer, baseball, or basketball games. We have been faithful patrons for the 30 years Sung Lee has owned it and we are incredibly sad that he will be leaving the Bay Area. We wish him well. This is a real loss for our community.
I am so sad to hear this; my children have been going to Fosters Freeze after school for a special treat for years. Menlo Park is losing a great childhood memory for many!
The fact that the landlord will not allow transfer ownership of the business is also sad. It’s a win for the landlord, I guess, but not the community.
Mr. Lee, we will all miss you. You were a symbol of a different time, of my childhood, and I’m sure, of many others’. It was actually nice passing your little place all these years,and seeing the kids lined up waiting for their turn. I’m sure we all wish you well. All the children who grew up with you as a friend will miss you. Collectively, though, we send tons of good wishes for your next incarnation. I’ve always believed things happen for a reason, and you may have a surprise waiting for you in the future, making you wonder why you didn’t do this a long time ago. We send you much appreciation and good wishes for your future.
Elsie
How sad, but very understandable. Fosters Freeze has always been such a happy memory and a sweet sight as I pass it on the road. Thank you for all those good years Mr. Lee. The entire community and past patrons wish you nothing but the best in the next chapter of your life. Thanks for the memories!
Soon to be replaced by over-priced Gelato in the Greenheart Development
How disappointing to see a local landmark close. Gone are the “good ole days”. I guess it was only a matter of time. Fosters was such a great place to get a shake or malt. Thank you for 30 years and good memories — it’s hard to say good by but I wish you well in your next endeavor.
I’m sure this location will give way to a condo complex or something similar….
This is so sad. My kids loved Fosters Freeze, and now my grandchildren are fans. I understand Mr. Lee’s decision, but it seems so wrong to loose another family business to developers. First Nak’s, and now Fosters. Menlo Park is heading in the wrong direction once again.
Looks like there is an effort underway to relocate the building and have it continue to operate it as an ice cream shop.
http://inmenlo.com/2015/09/14/effort-to-save-the-fosters-freeze-building-begins-in-menlo-park/
Please explain how this building in any use could generate enough profit to pay the market ground rent in Menlo Park?
I echo the kind reflections about Fosters and the lovely gentleman who runs it. It is sad to see a happy landmark disappear to a greedy landlord…too bad there isn’t a rescue investor to keep it alive…..happy retirement Mr. Lee. A chocolate dip cup will never taste the same, and that is truly sad.
The sad irony of course is that with the Greenheart Development on that block, Foster’s Freeze goes by Jason’s stays!
It’s a shame that some people’s outlook seems to be focused just on the $$$$ when there is more to value that just revenue. I guess some people just want MP to be a real grown up town — here comes HSR there goes Fosters. Look at RWC with all its up and coming high rise condos.
Fosters was a touch of nostalgia that will soon be leaving in the name of progress.
Sorry to hear this. I attended Menlo-Atherton in the 1950s. We used to go to Foster’s Freeze at lunchtime. Great memories.
Peter, once again you miss the point. Fosters is a landmark to those of us who lived here for many years. Its not always about the money, sometimes its about the tradition, the memories and Mr. Lee. Perhaps you should stop by and say hi and meet the man behind the window that has served so many people over the years with a smile. Hopefully he will relocate nearby and you can get yourself a root beer float and support small business
I’m saddened at the closing of this small piece of Menlo Park history. I go there a couple of times a month. I went there as a kid and take my children there too.
But, as much of as enjoy Foster’s, I don’t see a government role in saving this business or the building. Let’s face it, the building is a dump. It’s in desperate need of paint and the sign has been in disrepair for a long time. It’s not an historically significant building and that would be the sole justification for government involvement in saving it.
The sad fact is the current owner can’t afford to live in this area with the profits it generates. He’s probably got a pretty fair deal in terms of rent for the property and a fully depreciated building. If he can’t make it work with those favorable metrics, how could anyone make it work at a different location … with the added expense of a relocated and remodeled building and presumably increased rent for the land? It’s not coincidental that the majority of these franchises are located in areas that are less costly (Fresno has five).
It would be nice if a white knight were to come along and buy the franchise and move the building to another spot in downtown Menlo Park. But, let’s recognize that it would be done for nostalgic purposes and the enterprise would lose money.
Reality Check
Yeah, just like Kepler’s.
They’re both food for the soul. But the Freeze offers it in such heavenly flavors.
I’m so sad to see Fosters go, my family has enjoyed the tasty treats for 40 years! Let’s save it, wouldn’t some nostalgic wealthy person like to relocate it to maybe the old theater site, and upgrade? Yes, I know, I’m dreaming, and I wish that era was still here. Farewell Mr. Lee, we will miss you, along with Nak’s and so many icons of another day in Menlo Park.
Oh I shall miss thee,
Oh sweet Fosters Freeze,
In 1963 your flavors brought me to my knees,
That first sweet taste, that special treat,
Man I was cool, I was so neat!
Sadly some high rise will take the place of my favorite spot for so many years, could we relocate it to Stanford Shopping Center, a new building with a retro look? I’m sure it would do well there.
Boo hoo hoo!
All this nostalgia is sweet but also very salty. Was everyone regularly patronizing FF- eating fast food and ice cream on a weekly basis? I doubt that. Did everyone regularly say ‘oh no, let’s avoid the nice gelato and stroll in Palo Alto but go and stand in a parking lot and eat white glop instead?’ And as for Nak’s, who boycotted the ‘Asian’ aisle at Safeway to buy only at Nak’s every week.
It will be a shame if Anne’s Cafe goes the same way, but I ate there only once and was seriously underwhelmed, so won’t be surprised when it does.
How about we start pushing McDonalds out of town and really make a clean run of it!
@really, in those few spare moments when you are not found teaching Yogalates/Brazil Waxing Fusion or gliding down University Avenue in search of vibrancy and the finest gelato please do run McDonald’s out of town, so long as you and your snark go with it, but leave Foster’s Freeze and Anne’s Cafe to those of us who are less refined than you and who happen to appreciate these simpler things.
Gern
Community rallies to save Fosters Freeze in Menlo Park http://almanacnews.com/news/2015/09/15/communtity-rallies-to-save-fosters-freeze-in-menlo-park
Aww, too bad. I had many a soul satisfying indulgence at this Foster’s Freeze. Thank you Mr. Lee.
As a long time fan I hate to see another icon bite the dust, Last time I spoke to Mr. Lee he wanted to re open in another location. Anybody know of another place?
We lived close to Foster Freeze when I was a child and always recall fond memories of going there — mostly for the orange flavored ‘freeze’. Soooooo sorry to see it go.
Going back even before Sunny Lee was the owner, when Johnny’s Smoke Shop was there, adjacent to Congdon Chrome Stationers and The Menlo Park Recorder newspaper, the owner of Foster’s Freeze was named Frank. Back in the early ’60’s, we all knew him, and he knew many of us by name. I was the proud owner of a 1960 Hillman convertible as my first car. When other classmates would show off by peeling out in the parking lot, I found that the only way to get my underpowered English car was to put pocket aback books under the back wheels. SCORE!!! I did it, finally, in the Foster’s Freeze parking lot!! Without a moment’s hesitation, Frank appeared, thrusting a push broom to me. I cleaned it up with a smile on my face. Thanks for the memories…