Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • S p r i n g 2 0 1 9 10 10 and creamy, the brothers' "Frozen Dessert" was born. The Kohr brothers set up a small booth on Coney Island's boardwalk in the summer of 1919 and sold more than 18,000 cones for a nick- el each on their very first weekend. However, the brothers soon realized that the ocean's salt air, combined with the heat and humidity, caused their delicacy to melt rather quickly. Elton and Archie solved the prob- lem by adding eggs to their mixture, which resulted in a stiffer, more vel- vety and creamier product that held up much better in the elements with- out melting as quickly. The new recipe "tasted just like a custard," so the Kohr brothers officially changed their product name to "Frozen Custard." Elton ended up branching out on his own to start his own chain, and today, his grandson, Greg Kohr, proudly operates six "Kohr's Frozen Custard: The Original" locations in and around the Seaside Heights area delighting customers just as his grandfather did a century ago. "The Franklin Avenue location at 301 Boardwalk was there before the board- walk was built, when there was only a beachfront," Kohr explained. "And despite the trials from Mother Nature and the economy, we're still here." While the Kohr's name is much loved at the Jersey Shore, there are actually subtle differences among the stores that share the iconic blue and white Kohr's logo, most notably the stand names and menu items. Kohr's Frozen Custard Celebrating A Century of Cold, Creamy Goodness BEACHCOMBER " L et u s ta k e a j o u r ne y do w n t he S hore to see w h at w e can f i n d …" O ne hundred years ago, seven- teen-year-old Elton Kohr joined his older brothers, Archie and Clair, going door to door delivering home- made ice cream and fresh milk to homes and businesses out of the back of a horse-drawn carriage, and then out of a Ford Model T panel truck. Little did the Kohr brothers know they were on their way to generat- ing a Jersey Shore staple that would outlast eighteen presidents (and counting) when they acquired a "Meisenhelter Ice Cream Freezer" that same year. This machine, which was patented in 1914, made a contin- uous flow of soft ice cream. Through trial and error that included a great deal of tinkering, recipe experimen- tation, and intuitive rebuilding, the brothers ended up creating a product unlike anything they had ever tasted before. Cold and refreshing, silky Judy Cardella The original Kohr's location on the Seaside Heights boardwalk at Franklin Avenue. courtesy of Greg Kohr The same location, circa 1960.

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