Kimmer's Ice Cream opens downtown Wheaton location, takes place of vacant Tate's

WHEATON – For more than a year and a half, Tate's Ice Cream on Front Street was visibly closed.

Now, the location will again dole out sweet scoops under a new name: Kimmer's.

Kimberly Elam's namesake shop opened Wednesday, featuring 32 rotating flavors of homemade ice cream, local coffee, baked goods and handmade waffle cones.

Elam said that as a child she spent many a Metra ride traveling to and from her home in Batavia looking longingly at the pink Tate's storefront.

Now, four years after taking over a frozen custard store in St. Charles and rebranding it as Kimmer's Ice Cream, she decided to make the Tate's site her second location.

"It was serendipitous that it was open just as I was starting to look," she said. "I am really excited about it ... it's a little ambitious, but I love the space, I love this town."

Elam said she was told in her college business and entrepreneurship classes she should try to do what she loved – something she took to heart.

After building her skill set during stints at a pair of ice cream franchises in high school and college, her two locations will serve a variety of scoops, shakes, malts, floats, smoothies, and ice cream cakes and pies.

She said she believes her business will stand out among other creameries, confectioneries, candy stores and bakeries because of its commitment to customer service and the staff's passion for customers.

"Customers are our number one priority, that's been our whole thing – making an incredible experience from start to finish," Elam said.

That extends out to area schools and nonprofits. Both Elam's locations will launch the Kimmer's Kares program, where organizations can partner with the store to host fundraisers. Kimmer's supplies the posters and signage and donates 10 percent of the profits during the fundraiser.

Elam said she is hosting a lunch for groups interested in Kimmer's Kares on May 13 at the Wheaton location at 109 E. Front St.

Downtown Wheaton Association Executive Director Paula Barrington said she thinks the location, price point and atmosphere will be a hit.

"The timing is perfect for Kimmer's," she said. "They are opening during what becomes the peak ice cream months. It's a great location and there are many, many families in the Wheaton market who miss Tate's Ice Cream and miss homemade ice cream. This brings that back."

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If you go

What: Kimmer's Ice Cream

When: Noon to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thurday, Noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with hours expanding after May 15

Where: 109 E. Front St.

Information: kimmersicecream.com