Growing up in Indiana, Pa., Joe Bier and his wife, Jodi, ate so much Meadows Frozen Custard that they often joked that "we should just open one of our own." After moving to Pittsburgh, the Biers did just that. In March, they opened their own Meadows Frozen Custard on Route 19, in Cranberry.
The Meadows brand has been around since 1950, when the first store opened in Duncansville, south of Altoona. There are several shops across Pennsylvania, but until the Cranberry shop opened, the closest location for Pittsburghers was Greensburg.
Bier says he was worried initially because the product isn't well known in the area, but he was soon surprised. "We have been blown away with the warm response that our customers have given us."
The creamy custard comes in four flavors: chocolate, vanilla and two rotating flavors that have recently included blueberry, raspberry, birthday cake and cookie dough. The shop also offers frozen yogurt, sundaes, shakes and 12 flavors of Italian ice.
Bier says that "die-hard customers will tell you that it is the special mix and flavors that only The Meadows uses that sets us apart."
But he adds that his product is also different from other frozen treats because it's always fresh. "Our frozen custard is made fresh not just every day, but every few hours," Bier explains. "Anytime a customer stops at our shop, they are receiving a product that is never more than an hour or two old."
