The Sweet Treat Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant opened on Jan. 3, 1978, in Shakopee. The manager and owner was Cindy Strand, and at age 18, she was the youngest business owner in Shakopee.
Cindy graduated from Shakopee High School. She first thought of the idea of opening a business in her junior sales and marketing class. One of the required projects was to study opening a business. As a senior, Cindy researched the workings of a business and compiled information in a manual. Through market research, Cindy found that it would be feasible to open an ice cream parlor and to make it succeed in Shakopee.
The Sweet Treat Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant opened in the downtown area of Shakopee, at 226 South Lewis Street.
The place was recently the Strunk Pharmacy, or the Old Drug Store, which closed in June 1977 after 120 years of service. The building is the Huber Building, and at that time, was adjacent to Award Realty.
The Sweet Treat offered many items, ranging from sandwiches to malts to sundaes. It also sold ice cream cones, pints, and ice cream products, which could be eaten at the restaurant or taken out.
Cindy, a former athlete at Shakopee High School, used her business to promote local athletics whenever possible. “I’m pro-athletic, especially for the girls,” said Cindy, who assisted with coaching the high school girls’ tennis team in 1978.
After the first year, Cindy added to the menu. “We’re serving a good variety of sandwiches, including the mini-wich, which has been very popular.”
The mini-wich was a small sandwich on a bun with lettuce, pickles, and tomatoes. It was served with potato chips and a pickle. The sandwiches were made with various types of meat, including turkey, ham, corned beef, roast beef, and barbecue beef.
Each week the Sweet Treat had a new special that usually included a sandwich, salad, or soup, beverage, and an ice cream treat. Hot pretzels and new varieties of ice cream were added, and pinball machines were added to the back of the restaurant for the enjoyment of the customers. “I want to keep the restaurant a fun, pleasant place to come,” said Cindy.
Cindy worked about 60-65 hours a week in the restaurant.
She had an assistant, Joe Schleper, Jr., during the summer months, and Margie Thieschafer and Ann Weinzierl Wing were other great employees during other times.
Today someone could go to grocery store and get special ice cream, but in 1978 the place to go for great ice cream was the Sweet Treat.
The most popular ice cream was blue ice cream, with gum inside. Called bubble gum ice cream, it was the kind of cone most children would get every time they visited!
Michelle Kay noted, “Used to spend many hours in her shop, playing Fleetwood Mac on the jukebox and eating ice cream with my best friend, Bonnie Jo Mans McIsaac. Good memories for sure!”
According to Cindy Strand, “I’m really grateful to all the Shakopee people for supporting me in this business venture. Without them, it would have been impossible.”
After a few years, Cindy decided to close the restaurant. Today, the location of the Sweet Treat is Pablo’s Restaurant, a Mexican place that is still a popular location to eat… and the Mexican ice cream is to die for!
Young people in Shakopee who want to start a business should look to Cindy Strand and her success at a restaurant when she was only 18 years old.
A few articles that were used for this article include “Sweet Treat,” Shakopee Valley News, Vol. 117, No. 26, March 29, 1978; “Sweet Treat to Hold Grand Opening May 1-7,” Shakopee Valley News, Vol. 117, No. 31; “Sweet Treat to Observe Six Month Anniversary,” Shakopee Valley News, Vol 117, No. 41, July 5, 1978; “Sweet Treat Plans First Anniversary,” Shakopee Valley News; “Sweet Treat’s Young Owner Enlarges Menu,” Shakopee Valley News, March 28, 1979.