ANGOLA, N.Y. (WKBW) — A perfect day to celebrate freedom across the Western New York region!
From cookouts to parades or spending the day on the water, Western New Yorkers made the most of their day.
Many spent the day along Lake Erie.
7 News headed down to the holiday hot spot, Mickey Rats, in Angola.
For decades the beach bar has welcomed all, as beach goers enjoyed the sun, the drinks and the sand.
7 News’ Pheben Kassahun spoke with two small business owners who told her the Fourth of July weekend is the busiest all summer long, and two customers tell me coming to these stands are a summer tradition.
Driving down Route 5 or Route 20 only means one thing for Katherine Whalen and her family; making a stop at Frosty Treat in Angola, which is where she has frequented since she was a child.
Amherst resident Katherine Whalen told Kassahun, “Frosted Treat has been here as long as I can remember. It’s always been cash only and they have fun little novelties, different types of ice cream that you can eat and order. You can have the flavor of the week, every week. My favorite is lime. I never know when it is but I love when it’s up.”
Frosty Treat has been in business for 70 years at the same location.
Thousands of loyal customers flock to it, known for its handcrafted sundaes of more than 70 options.
“Typically, Friday will be the busiest day, travel day. A day like this would be about $3,500 which is good,” Frosty Treat owner Peter Schmidt said.
July 4th is the busiest holiday for the ice cream stand, so much so, owner Peter Schmidt explained they employ family and friends to cater to the demand.
“There’s a lot of preparation. I’ve been here since 6:30 this morning, prepping. I’m getting a little tired, getting a little run down. We’re keeping it going until 9 p.m. or later. Usually, we won’t close until the last customer. So, usually a little after 9:30 p.m.,” Schmidt added.
Just down the street is another local business heavy hitter: Connors’ Hot Dog Stand.
People come for the hotdogs but they stay for their French fries, which are cut fresh daily.
“Every time we’re here to have a good weekend and enjoy ourselves. Connors’ is always here to deliver. great food, great atmosphere, great customer service. Look at these double cheeseburgers here. You can’t complain, you know. That’s why we love Connors’. It’s a good family spot,” Connors’ Hot Dog Stand customer and Buffalo resident, Colby Hess shared.
Connors’ Hot Dog Stand customer and Buffalo resident, Jack Roberts said, “First thing, it’s got to be the hot dogs. They do them nice and crisp, every way you want them to do it. The French fries, forget about it. They fry them to perfection, and then very drink is perfectly poured. They do everything right.”
The stand, which celebrates 80 years this year, is a hot commodity this time of year, as lines extend out the door.
“We do really well on the Fourth of July. We have lines out the door. We’re trying to treat our customers. It’s our 80th year in business, so we’re kind of celebrating this year. It’s a little extra special, but we still keep our prices competitive and low. We want people to come out. We want them to be able to order a hot dog, a cheeseburger, fries and a drink and be able to have them leave feeling like we didn’t rob them their pockets,” Shannon Shepherd said.
Shannon Shepherd is the oldest of the 4th generation of the Connors family and also manages the business.
“We’ve been doing this as long as I’ve been born and it’s always the best time of the year. People are coming out to the beach, they want to see fireworks, they want to see the boats. They want to see all the action happening down here. So, we get ready by ordering a ton of food, making sure we’re feeding our customers and opening our lots so people can park and access the beach,” Shepherd added.
This Fourth of July reeled in the most people since post-pandemic times, and had a record-setting year.
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