Tastee-Freez in Spring Valley will celebrate 75 years of dishing out sweet treats this weekend.

The ice cream shop at 309 Dakota St. is hosting an outdoor movie night Saturday to celebrate the milestone. The movie will start between 8:30 and 9 p.m. using a large blow-up movie screen courtesy of Ladd Sound Productions.

Tastee-Freez will close when the movie starts, but popcorn, water, and cotton candy will be available.

Parking is available in the adjacent lot. Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and/or blankets. Public restrooms will be available.

Tastee-Freez’s story dates back to 1950, when Leo Moranz, of Joliet, invented a new soft-serve pump and freezer that revolutionized the industry and far surpassed the equipment of the day. His invention allowed for faster service and better quality ice cream. He formed a partnership with entrepreneur Harry Axene and together they marketed what was destined to become one of America’s favorite destinations for fast food and frozen treats.

Expansion was rapid throughout the ‘50s. According to its online history, there were 315 locations in 1952. By 1957, the number of locations had grown to 1,800.

Tastee-Freez struggled through later decades and many stores closed or evolved into other businesses. Those that survived often did so by evolving into complete fast food operations. Many Tastee-Freez locations are incorporated into Wienerschnitzel restaurants, which are owned by the California-based franchise company, The Galardi Group, which acquired the rights to Tastee-Freez in 2003. Tastee-Freez locations are independently owned and operated.

The Spring Valley location is among the oldest, if not the oldest, store in Tastee-Freez’s history. The building was constructed in 1949 and served as a pilot store.

Spring Valley’s is one of three locations remaining in the country, according to tastee-free.com. When the Spring Valley location celebrated 65 years, there were 36 locations and of which 10 were in Illinois.

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