And the Winner Is...
It started with 64 things—a sprawlingly wide variety of things—that you like. We asked readers, “What’s the single greatest thing about life in 417-land?” and then compiled the 64 most-popular answers into a voting bracket. We had everything from the practical (low cost of living) to the cultural (Springfield Symphony Orchestra) to the yummy (abundance of fine dining). And each month, starting in February, you voted. As the list dwindled down to 32, then 16 and smaller yet, one 417-land perk just kept riding the wave all the way to the end: Andy’s Frozen Custard. When voting ended on July 10, Andy’s was the big winner. It left its final-round competitor (friendly people) in the dust.
The Andy’s Frozen Custard legend may not have originated in 417-land, but the corporate headquarters now calls Springfield home. Andy’s started in 1988 as a tiny custard store at Lake of the Ozarks, but one year after Andy Kuntz opened, he sold the business and moved his operation to Springfield. Kuntz opened the first Springfield location on south Campbell Avenue, and business went wild. By 2008, Kuntz opened three other Springfield locations and eight franchise stores.
In between store openings, Kuntz and his team worked on developing the menu. Frozen custard has a softer consistency than hand-dipped ice cream, yet it tastes smoother and creamier than a cup of soft serve. Kuntz modeled the store’s signature concrete—a blend of custard and toppings—from the St. Louis frozen custard shop Ted Drewes. The seasonal options top the popularity contest: Fresh pumpkin pie in the fall, blackberries and peaches in the summer, blueberries in the spring. And let’s not forget the Ozarks Turtle, a sundae with hot fudge, caramel and pecans that has graced the menu since the store first opened.
But it was Andy’s-lovers who voted, so it’s Andy’s-lovers who we want to hear from now. Here’s what some customer’s had to say about their favorite treats:
“I love the turtle sundae. It’s my favorite!”
— Gina Wood, 42, Billings. She ordered, of course, the Ozark Turtle sundae.
“I love the flavor… it’s so sweet because of the blackberries.”
—Angel Arreola, 6, visiting from Dallas. He had blackberries in a concrete.
“I like how you can mix in almost everything.”
— Dylan Crouch, 16, Nixa
“The Snowmonster is my favorite because it’s chocolaty and strawberry-y.”
— Cecilee Vollman, 19, Nixa. She ordered a Snowmonster at the drive-through.
“It’s the greatest.”
— Marain Stowe, 83, Ozark. She ordered a concrete with strawberries and cheesecake.
