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Freddy’s in works for Lee Branch

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Photo courtesy of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.

A new fast-casual restaurant franchise is coming to Hoover.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers is getting ready to open in The Village at Lee Branch off U.S. 280 in February and is planning to open a second location in western Hoover in the future, said Bryan Pyle, the franchise operator for the Lee Branch site.

The freestanding, 3,500-square-foot building in the Village at Lee Branch will be at 301 Doug Baker Blvd., behind the Walgreens next to BBVA Compass Bank. The restaurant will seat 100 guests inside, with additional seating on the patio. It also will have drive-through service.

This will be the first location for Freddy’s in Alabama. The next one in the Birmingham area likely will be in Vestavia Hills, and the third one is planned for western Hoover, Pyle said. Others are to be built in Tuscaloosa and Huntsville.

Currently in 25 states, Freddy’s is looking forward to expanding its brand, Pyle said.

“We are excited about our whole territory, especially the greater Birmingham area,” Pyle said. “There has been a lot of positive opportunities for us as we look for great sites to invest in the community and sink our teeth in there. As we did our research, Birmingham was very attractive to us. We could tell the communities are thriving around the Birmingham area into Hoover.” 

Freddy’s was co-founded in 2002 by two brothers for their father, WWII veteran Freddy Simon of Wichita, Kansas. They worked with restaurateur Scott Rendler to recreate recipes and an atmosphere similar to that of his generation and the 1940s and ’50s post-war era.

Menu items include fresh-made dishes, such as lean beef steakburgers, Vienna beef hot dogs, shoestring fries and freshly-churned chocolate or vanilla frozen custard with a variety of toppings. Pyle said that once someone tries frozen custard, it’s all they will want.

“It’s similar to ice cream, but custard is denser, richer and creamier, and that’s due to the churning process,” he said. “It eliminates ice crystals and excess air. We make it fresh on-site throughout the day, and it’s served with an assortment of toppings, either in a cup or a cone. Eat it with a spoon with a cup, as a sundae or concrete (blending the custard and toppings together).”

Freddy’s locations try to plug into the community, partnering with schools on fundraisers. The restaurants offer a very family-friendly atmosphere that focuses on unity and quality of family time, Pyle said.

“We relate to any age, gender, time of life,” Pyle said. “My grandfather loves it because it takes him back to when his parents took him to a hamburger and shake place. Kids just really resonate with it also. Inside, we have bright red colors, and it’s lively.”

The restaurant also features pictures of the menu items to let guests know what they offer. Pictures of Freddy himself, from all ages, fill the restaurant.

“Freddy is now 90 years old. You get to know who Freddy is, and it puts a face to a name,” Pyle said.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers

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