CHANGING OF THE GUARD
Now called Frosty’s Treats Ltd., new owner promises few changes to 58-year-old business
Tasty Treat in Coxheath is now a Frosty’s.
Despite a name change, the former Tasty Treat in Coxheath will continue to offer the same burgers and cool treats served by the usual friendly staff patrons have come to know over the years.
On Thursday, the iconic takeout food stand on Keltic Drive officially became Frosty’s Treats Ltd.
The new owner is Fred Squarey, a full-time social worker, who doesn’t have experience in the food and hospitality industry.
Originally from Sydney Mines, Squarey had spent 26 years working as a social worker in Bridgewater before moving back to Cape Breton about 18 months ago.
Though he has experience as a businessman in the housing industry, Squarey asked the longtime employees whether they would consider staying on.
“It really came together when staff agreed to stay on board,” he said.
“When the five staff members said they would stay — three cooks and two upfront people — I said, ‘Oh, gosh, they’re the saviour.’ This icon has staff that’s been here for 10 or 14 years.”
Employee Sandra Jackson first began working at the Tasty Treat as an 18-year-old. She would later leave, raise a family, and return looking for seasonal work about 10 years ago.
Her loyalty to the Dezagiacomo family, which started the franchise in 1960, runs deep.
“It was difficult because we did have the option of going to the other Tasty Treat if we wanted to (work) out on Grand Lake Road,” said Jackson, who lives in Sydney Mines.
“But this is closer to our home so we chose to stay here.”
Avalene Spicer, who works behind the grill, has the same sort of affection for the Dezagiacomo family but Squarey’s reassurance that few changes would be forthcoming, plus the friendships she’s built with customers over the years, solidified her decision to stay.
“It’s good things that he’s bringing in so it’s not like major changes,” she said.
“Customers ask us all the time whether we’re staying. We told them ‘yes, we were staying.’ I don’t know if that made a difference for them but they wanted to know that we were staying.”
Jackson said she doesn’t believe the removal of the Tasty Treat sign will result in how customers perceive the burger and ice cream takeout.
“To us, we don’t see the name. The name is on the roof and we’re in the building.
“For us it doesn’t seem any different other than we have a new boss. Everything else is familiar to us. So, we don’t look up at the sign,” she said. Jackson
Once the weather improves, Squarey said he intends to replace the roof and repaint the building.
He also plans to build a 30-by40-foot outdoor concrete patio with a roof either this year or next. It’ll give customers shade on hot, summer days and a place to escape the rain if they don’t wish to eat in their cars, Squarey said.
“I believe our clientele might enjoy that.”
No food items will be cut from the current menu, he said, noting a few new items such as homemade French fries, three
different sizes of hotdogs — regular size, seven-inch jumbo, and a giant 12-incher — and chicken wings may soon be offered.
“Between the building not changing, staff staying, the menu remaining the same, I’m hoping that it remains the icon it has always been,” he said.
Mary Hutchison, who lives in Baddeck, dropped in for lunch Thursday afternoon on her way home because she had heard about the change in ownership on the radio.
“The burgers are as good as last year,” she said. “I used to come by here at least three or four times in the run of a year.”
Hutchison said she doesn’t believe the name change will impact the business, particularly for herself as a customer.
The lone remaining Tasty Treat on Grand Lake Road continues to be operated by Betty Dezagiacomo-MacIsaac, her brothers Michael and John Dezagiacomo and sister Mary Melski.
They took over the business from their parents but as they grow older into their retirement years they have been looking to Avalene Spicer, an employee of Frosty’s Treats on Keltic Drive in Coxheath, prepares an order for a customer. Fred Squarey bought the former Tasty Treat and Thursday was its official first day under new ownership. There remains only one Tasty Treat now, located on Grand Lake Road next to the Mayflower Mall.
“Between the building not changing, staff staying, the menu remaining the same, I’m hoping that it remains the icon it has always been.”
Fred Squarey, owner of Frosty’s Treats Ltd.
get out of the business completely.
The restaurant, adjacent to the Mayflower Mall, has a small eat-in area and a drive-thru window. It’s open for business but it’s currently listed for sale at $389,900.
A third Tasty Treat location in Howie Centre was bought by Louisbourg Seafoods Ltd. owner
Jim Kennedy in May 2016.
While the takeout only ice cream and burger stand stayed open through the 2016 season, the building was torn down in March 2017 to make way for a new development. Nothing has been built on the site to date.