Hollywood*
Location: Las Vegas
Located in the shadow of the Stratosphere, this long-time Vegas fixture is where
the locals turn to when they need to cool off. Specializing in frozen custard
made fresh daily, Luv-It has earned multiple awards for their frozen treats made
from scratch. Order at the counter service can cause lines to back up for nearly
a block during the peak season as loyal customers patiently wait for signature
flavors like fresh banana nut, creamy butter pecan and tart lemon.
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Staff
Pick
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LUV
IT FROZEN CUSTARD
505
E. Oakey Blvd.
We're
kind of into those cult favorites ourselves, and around the
office, introducing the new person in town to Luv It has been a
long-standing tradition. It may be in kind of an interesting
location, just off Las Vegas Boulevard on Oakey, but that's just
part of the appeal. Where else can you strike up a conversation
with a stripper from the Olympic Garden while waiting in line?
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Luv it Frozen
Custard, 505 E. Oakey Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702) 384-6452
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Whether you call it frozen custard or soft ice
cream, this is the best there is in Las Vegas and it's made no where else.
In light of the fact that summer temperatures are always over 100 degrees,
the residents of Las Vegas have reason to be connoisseurs of ice cream and
that's why they flock to this humble stand.
|
PokerNews.com
Visiting
Vegas: Five Foods to Try in Vegas - May 2008 (click here) Las
Vegas is known for many things – gambling, entertainment, and some of the
greatest food in the country. There are a number of wonderful dishes to try and
it's hard to find a bad meal if you're on the Strip, but here are five of my
favorite foods in Vegas:
Luv It Frozen Custard - $5
Luv It Custard Shop
505 E Oakey Boulevard
Winner of the Las Vegas Review Journal's Best of Las Vegas for multiple
years along with being voted #1 ice cream shop by CitySearch, Travelocity, Las
Vegas Weekly, AOL City Guide, and others, Luv It is a classic and favorite for
locals. This hole-in-the-wall shop has been open for over 30 years and has a
slew of regular patrons that love sampling their select few premium flavors.
Affordable, daily fresh, delicious custard sundaes, shakes, and cones make this
place worth checking out. Don't expect anything fancy – the shop is small and
there is no indoor seating – but that hasn't stopped this place from always
being busy and well-liked.
Las
Vegas Life Magazine -
Best of 2007 (Nov. 2007)
Vegas
100 - From where
to take your children and tips for newcomers, to show-stopping performers and
great sandwiches, we've got Las Vegas' BEST covered top to bottom. Welcome
to the BEST of 2007. Our "Vegas 100" is easily one of our
favorite issues of the year - it's our chance to recognize the people, places
and things that make Las Vegas the greatest city on the planet. It's an
overused phrase, to be sure, but it really is true for Las Vegas - there's
something here for everyone. We've already got the tourist market covered;
let's take that as a given. But for those that live and thrive here,
whether you're an active single, a multi-talking mother of four, an octogenarian
scraping by on a pension or a college-bound art lover, Sin City offers limitless
opportunities to scratch your itch. And as a twist to this year's list,
we've included a HALL OF FAME as a tribute to those people and institutions that
have graced the pages of this issue before. So join with us in celebrating
the best Las Vegas has to offer...
HALL
OF FAME - A tip of the hat to the BEST of the BEST - these helped define a
city:
LUV-IT
FROZEN CUSTARD -
Even if you haven't seen a previous issue of our Vegas 100, odds are you've
heard about this heavenly frozen custard biz from a friend or two (or
three). With due respect to many other frozen delight establishments
around town, this is simply the best, with a rainbow of flavors that changes
every week. If you try it once, the name will become clear.
Luv-It Frozen Custard won
"BEST" Ice Cream/Confections. Present owner Greg
Teidemann was only 4 years old in 1973 as he watched his grandmother open Luv-It
Frozen Custard, one of the most popular Las Vegas Strip destinations for locals.
Located one block off the Strip near the Stratosphere, Luv-It was around before
most casinos were built, and the Luv-It sign is now widely considered a local landmark.
The Luv-It walk up window sells frozen custard (ice cream's smoother, creamier,
egg-based, at least 10 percent butterfat cousin) in cones, shakes, malts
and floats, but the store's specialty is sundaes. Available with two or three
scoops of vanilla custard, sundaes include: Western with hot caramel, hot fudge,
and salted pecans; Cherry Yum Yum with black cherry and cookie crumble; Sprinkle
Special with marshmallow, chocolate sprinkles and peanuts; Tuti Fruti with
peach, pineapple and peanuts; and Hot Apple Walnut. Other treats include
chocolate-covered frozen bananas and luv sticks (frozen custard on a stick).
Most custard flavors are served on a seasonal or rotating basis and can include
malt cream, cheesecake, coffee chip, pineapple, apple spice, butter pecan, fresh
banana nut, wild cherry, chocolate chip Swiss almond, and champagne berry. No
alcohol served. Open at 1 pm Tues-Sat, serving custard through the late evening.
Closed Sun-Mon.
CUSTARD'S
BEST STAND
For the best frozen treats in town, look no further than Luv-It
BY JARRET
KEENE
There are many
Las Vegas ice cream and gelato shops (chain and independent) to keep you
cool in the summer. But there’s only one sweet spot in town serving up
frozen custard in a variety of different and tasty ways: Luv-It Frozen
Custard. Despite receiving rave reviews in regional and national magazines,
Luv-It remains a closely guarded secret by locals who possess a deep and
abiding regard — some would call it an addiction — to a dessert shop
that specializes in sundaes, yet also offers traditional cones, cups, malts
and shakes. Luv-It is where downtown artists, writers, journalists,
politicians and other assorted riff-raff congregate in order to cool down.
Indeed, summer sidewalks in Las Vegas are egg-fryingly hot. Good thing,
then, that Luv-It keeps those eggs in the base of its family recipe,
providing richer flavor and a better consistency than your everyday ice
cream.
According to owner Greg Tiedemann, whose grandparents opened the downtown
stand in 1973, his custard contains less fat and sugar than ice cream, yet
maintains a smoother and creamier texture and an old-fashioned homemade
taste that can’t be beat. The last bit is absolutely true. If you don’t
believe us, then believe the dozens of folks queued up in front of the stand
every night. They come here for a reason, and that reason is kickass
custard.
What to choose? We highly recommend the special sundaes, which include the
Western (a mouthwatering concoction of hot fudge, caramel and pecans) and
the Banana Fudge Krumble (a delicious treat that combines hot fudge, sliced
bananas and Oreo cookie crumbles) and the Bumble Berry (a crisp invention of
raspberry, strawberry and peanuts). Yep, the special sundaes, with their
elaborate ingredients, are definitely the way to go. For those with simpler
tastes, there’s black cherry, blueberry and butterscotch; and for those
who wish to take their sundaes to the next level of sugary heaven, there are
items like the awesome Banana Split, loaded with strawberries, marshmallow,
bananas and peanuts.
Sundaes aside, there are at least five freshly made flavors of the day to
choose from, if you’re in the mood for a cup or cone. (Thirty-one flavors
don’t apply here, because Luv-It’s frozen custard isn’t designed to
sit out for days at a time.) However, all shakes, malts and whips come in
one size only and are made to order. So what flavors are there? Check it
out: Almond Chip, Maple Walnut, Coffee Chip, Lemon, Peach and Wild Cherry
— just to name a few. There are seasonal items, too; for instance, during
the fall, look for Pumpkin and Egg Nog, and in the summer, you can expect
Mango and Piña Colada. Tiedemann is a magician when it comes to fashioning
taste bud-tingling flavors.
One of the best reasons to stop by Luv-It is to people-watch. Not only do
you get an opportunity to observe the downtown Vegas demimonde (a.k.a.
hookers, pimps, dealers, the homeless), but you also get to rub elbows with
people like investigative reporter George Knapp and poet and public defender
Dayvid Figler. Luv-It is a truly democratic gathering place that bustles
beneath the noise and color of the Stratosphere. Next time you’ve got a
sweet tooth, sink it into some frozen custard.
Luv-It Frozen Custard is located at 505 E. Oakey Blvd. For more info, call
702-384-6452.
Hot Vegas days call for cool
desserts, and frozen custard (softer than regular ice cream, but harder than
soft serve) is a fine way to go. Head for Luv-It Frozen Custard, 505 E.
Oakey, at the Strip (tel. 702/384-6452), open Monday to Thursday from
11am to 10pm, Friday from 11am to 11pm, Saturday from noon to 11pm, and Sunday
from 1 to 10pm. Since it has less fat and sugar than premium ice cream, from
which it also differs slightly in taste and texture, you can even fool
yourself into thinking this is somewhat healthful (hah!). Made every few hours
using fresh cream and eggs, Luv-It Frozen Custard has basic flavors available
for cup or cone, but more exotic ones (maple walnut, apple spice, and more) in
tubs.
Travelocity 2007 picks "Luv-It
Frozen Custard" as TOP INSIDER SPOT in the U.S. click
here for link to website
Main Nevada Picks
Luv-It Custard Shop
Las Vegas
It may look like an unassuming stand,
but walk up to the order window of this ice cream shop and you’ll know
true refreshment on a hot desert day. Go for a frozen banana or the famous
"Western"--the sundae of all sundaes--which is a
"classic" comprised of a huge cup of frozen vanilla custard topped
with hot caramel, fudge, salted pecans, and a maraschino cherry. Located
right off the Strip, the shop has been serving its homemade custard that
puts "store-bought ice cream to shame" to sweet-toothed locals
since 1973.
| VIA
Magazine - July 2007 (click
here for link to website)
Ice
cream gets even cooler
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By
Luci
Yamamoto
Salted
caramel or double ginger? Butter pecan or baby coconut? Tough calls face
ice cream lovers enjoying an explosion of artisan creameries and
gelaterias across the West. Handcrafted ice cream is frozen in tiny lots,
often with in-season local fruit and nuts, fine organic chocolate, real
vanilla beans, and uncommon flavorings (cardamom–orange peel, anyone?).
“Our roasted banana contains actual bananas caramelized in brown
sugar,” says Kris Hoogerhyde, co-owner and pastry chef of BI-RITE
CREAMERY & BAKE SHOP
in San Francisco’s Mission District www.biritecreamy.com.
ALOTTO
GELATO Portland.
Corn, cantaloupe, and chocolate-frosted yellow cake. (503) 228-1709, www.alottogelato.biz.
FAIRFAX
SCOOP Fairfax,
Calif. From vanilla honey lavender to Tomales Bay strawberry. (415)
453-3130.
GELATIAMO
Seattle. Blood orange
and rice (à la rice pudding). (206) 467-9563, www.gelatiamo.com.
ICI
ICE CREAM MADE HERE Berkeley,
Calif. Rose pistachio, candied Meyer lemon, sandwiches (right). (510)
665-6054, www.ici-icecream.com.
LUV-IT
FROZEN CUSTARD Las
Vegas. Classic French vanilla. (702) 384-6452, www.luvitfrozencustard.com.
MITCHELL’S
ICE CREAM San
Francisco. Avocado, baby coconut. (415) 648-2300, www.mitchellsicecream.com.
SKETCH
ICE CREAM Berkeley,
Calif. Burnt caramel, Earl Gray tea. (510) 665-5650, www.sketchicecream.com.
SUB
ZERO ICE CREAM Orem,
Utah. Fruit punch, cake batter—frozen with liquid nitrogen while you
watch. (801) 434-4475, www.subzeroicecream.com.
|
 Las
Vegas Life - Oct 2006 - p.66 Food: Our Cheap Eats Guide
will show you where to get the best meals at the best
deals... FROZEN TREATS: Luv-It Frozen
Custard. This unassuming stand makes one of the best examples of frozen
custard - soft ice cream made with eggs - in the nation. No wonder it has
been a local legend for decades. Vanilla and chocolate are available
daily, and there are flavors of the day that change at the whim of
management. Their Western sundae, vanilla ice cream topped with salted
pecans and hot fudge, is a spiritual experience. 505 E. Oakey
Blvd. 384-6452
TripAdvisor, the most trusted source for where to eat, sleep
and play in thousands of destinations around the
world, has collected the best insider tips from its 20 million
monthly visitors to produce a unique series of travel
guides to 25 top summer destinations. In addition to the best
hotels, restaurants and attractions for every type of
traveler, you’ll get great advice about what to pack, how to get around
and where to find the best views.
TOP 10 Restaurants
3.) Luv It Frozen Custard, 505 E. Oakey, 702-384-6452. Luv
It Frozen Custard is a "great place for a treat. Even on a relatively
cold January day this place was doing a roaring trade." - Trip
Advisor Member, London, U.K.
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 Audience Winner
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You voted for the best Ice Cream in
Las Vegas, and we counted. Check out the results below.
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Audience
Winner:
1.
|
Luv
It Frozen Custard
505 E Oakey Blvd, Las Vegas, Nv
Forget ice cream. This outpost for frozen custard serves up some of the
most delicious desserts in town.
|
#3) Luv It Frozen Custard
505 East Oakey Boulevard, Las
Vegas, NV 89104
|
Hot Vegas days call for cool
desserts, and frozen custard (softer than regular ice cream, but harder than
soft serve) is a fine way to go. Head for Luv-It Frozen Custard, 505 E.
Oakey, at the Strip (tel. 702/384-6452), open Monday to Thursday from
11am to 10pm, Friday from 11am to 11pm, Saturday from noon to 11pm, and Sunday
from 1 to 10pm. Since it has less fat and sugar than premium ice cream, from
which it also differs slightly in taste and texture, you can even fool yourself
into thinking this is somewhat healthy (hah!). Made every few hours using fresh
cream and eggs, Luv-It Frozen Custard has basic flavors available for cup or
cone, but more exotic ones (maple walnut, apple spice, and more) in tubs.
Luv-It Frozen Custard
‘Absolutely delicious’
505 East Oakey Boulevard
Las Vegas
NV
89104
Neighbourhood: Off-Strip (within a mile approx)
Tel: +1 702 384 6452
Web: http://www.luvitfrozencustard.com/
Sweet, creamy and rich in flavor, nothing can duplicate homemade custard.
This old-fashioned custard shop is not much to look at; in fact, it is an old
stand where most of the business is car-based. Locals have been eating custard
here for 25-years, and for good reason. The shakes are dreamy, the sundaes are
divine, but best of all is a simple Chocolate or Peach Scoop in a cup.
Las
Vegas Review Journal - Taste (cover) - Wednesday, August 9, 2006
"Chilly
Mystery" Strange name aside, frozen custard is another form of
versatile ice cream. A "veteran" of the Las Vegas
frozen-custard scene, Greg Tiedemann has seen competitors come and competitors
go during a period that has paralleled the city's most recent four or five
reinventions. Tiedemann's grandparents opened Luv-It Frozen Custard at 505
E. Oakey Blvd. in 1973
While
other places have entered and exited, Luv-It has for long stretches been the
only frozen-custard game in town. But starting about two years ago,
franchises of other companies began opening across the valley. There now
are at least four frozen-custard stores here, down from five about a month
ago. They all have one thing in common. Well, OK, they have two
things in common, the first being frozen custard. But there's something
else: Confusion.
Frozen
custard, it seems, remains a mystery to many. Tiedemann's grandparents
hailed from Milwaukee, epicenter of the frozen custard world. Milwaukee's
just the tip of the ahem - frozen custard iceberg, with aficionados spreading
across the Midwest and much of the East. But cross the Mississippi and
awareness melts like a chocolate cone on a sunny Las Vegas afternoon.
"It's tough, with this growth," Tiedemann said.
"People come and go. Some people arrive in town and know exactly what
it is. Some people learn what it is, and then they leave town and you work
on the cycle again."
 |
Luv-It:
The "veteran" features two flavors daily - in addition to Vanilla
and Chocolate - and numerous sundaes, shakes and other items. The most
popular flavors, besides Vanilla and Chocolate, Tiedemann said, are Butter
Pecan, Lemon, and Banana Nut. There are some seasonal flavors, such as
Pumpkin and Egg Nog. The "Western" sundae - with caramel,
hot fudge and pecans - is the most popular menu item! The shop is
walk-up only. |
Las Vegas Life Magazine -
July 2006 p.58
Ice
Cream, You Scream! It may not actually cool your body down,
but there's no tasier way to beat the heat. As the world becomes more
complex, our choices of frozen confections expand. It used to be a matter
of choosing between ice cream and soft-serve. Now there's ice cream,
sherbet, frozen yogurt, frozen custard, gelato and more. We performed a
decidedly unscientific taste test on ice cream, gelato and frozen custard.
Brain freeze followed soon after.
Frozen
Custard: It heals all that ails. Why? No idea. But no
matter how good or bad you're feeling, the vanilla at Luv-It Frozen Custard (505
E. Oakey Blvd.) makes you feel a few scoops better. Made from cream
and sugar, eggs are added as an emulsifier, creating a richer texture than ice
cream. It's also served at a higher temperature, resulting in more
delicious drips.
Luv-It Frozen
Custard
Absolutely
delicious
|
505 East Oakey
Boulevard
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Las Vegas,
NV 89104
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Phone: +1 702
384 6452
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Neighborhood:
Off-Strip (within a mile approx)
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Category: Ice
Cream Parlors
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Hours: 1p-10p
Tu-Th, 1p-11p |
| |
Description
Sweet, creamy
and rich in flavor, nothing can duplicate homemade custard. This old-fashioned
custard shop is not much to look at; in fact, it is an old stand where most of
the business is car-based. Locals have been eating custard here for 25-years,
and for good reason. The shakes are dreamy, the sundaes are divine, but best
of all is a simple Chocolate or Peach Scoop in a cup.
Vegas
Living: Secret
#13 - Luv It Frozen Custard (click for link)
This little place of pure taste bud
joy has been around forever in Las Vegas (1973.) It is off of Las Vegas Blvd
and Oakey (505 E. Oakey.) Think of it as like soft serve ice cream but a
little better for you. They make a great bunch of flavors and they also
offer wonderful sundaes, shakes, and floats among other goodies. Also, if
you are lucky, a firetruck will pull up and the firemen will order their
treats. Makes for great eye candy too. Please make sure you support one of
our local establishments. Here is a link to their web site. http://www.luvitfrozencustard.com/
GoVegas4Less.com
(click for link)
Last
stand: Luv-It Frozen Custard (505 E. Oakey Blvd. at Las Vegas Blvd.,
702-384-6452) is the best-tasting stuff we've ever had in our happy little
mouths. And we've been to Thailand, man. Order the delicious Western Special --
caramel, hot fudge, pecans, Luv-It's rich, creamy custard, and a maraschino
cherry purely as an afterthought -- and you'll begin your descent into
addiction. Ice cream? What's that? I think we had some in Bangkok.
DeltaVacations.com
(click for link)
Hot Vegas days call for cool
desserts, and frozen custard (softer than regular ice cream, but harder than
soft serve) is a fine way to go. Head for Luv-It Frozen Custard, 505 E.
Oakey, at the Strip (tel. 702/384-6452), open Tuesday to Thursday from
1pm to 10pm, Friday & Saturday from 1pm to11pm. Since it has less fat and
sugar than premium ice cream, from which it also differs slightly in taste and
texture, you can even fool yourself into thinking this is somewhat healthy
(hah!). Made every few hours using fresh cream and eggs, Luv-It Frozen Custard
has basic flavors available for cup or cone, but more exotic ones (maple walnut,
apple spice, and more) in tubs.
Food
Network Specials
Episode TOSP01
Sizzling
Summer Destinations
Food Network’s criss-crossing the country in search of summer food
adventures. Discover off-the-beaten path restaurants, cutting edge nightlife
and more in Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Hawaii and Texas Hill Country
MSN.com 
One scoop or two? Check out your city's best spot for ice cream
|
 |
 |
You voted for the best Ice Cream in Las Vegas, and we tallied the
results. See if your favorites are winners, and tell us if you agree
or disagree by adding your own ratings.
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|
|
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#1
- Luv
It Frozen Custard
505 E. Oakey, Las Vegas, Nv
Forget ice cream. This outpost for frozen custard serves up some of
the most delicious desserts in town.
|
Audience
Winner |
 2006
Las Vegas Review Journal - BEST OF LAS VEGAS: Ice Cream;
Our Pick: Luv-It Frozen Custard, 505 E. Oakey Blvd. We've
said it before, many times before, and we'll say it again: We love "Luv-It"
...so much so, that introducing newbies to the place has become a staff
tradition...
 AOL Cityguide: Las
Vegas
City's Best 2006
- Luv-It Frozen Custard
Custard
you're sure to luv. Located in the shadow of the Stratosphere, this
long-time Vegas fixture is where the locals turn to when they need to cool
off. Specializing in frozen custard made fresh daily, Luv-It has earned
multiple awards for their frozen treats made from scratch. Order at the
counter service can cause lines to back up for nearly a block during the peak
season as loyal customers patiently wait for signature flavors like fresh
banana nut, creamy butter pecan and tart lemon. -- Jodi Saunders (Photo:
Luv-It Custard)
Las Vegas Life - 52
Things Every Las Vegan MUST DO... (Mar. 2006 p.74)
20.) Enjoy a Luv-It
Frozen Custard by Harry Fagel, 37, LVMPD Detective. Much
has been written about this frozen custard in the 30-plus years the little
family-owned shak o'confectionary delight has been nestled off Las Vegas and
Oakey boulevards, next to the Olympic Garden strip club. Here, you can
count on seeing the cool, detached face of owner Greg Tiedemann in his black
shorts and Luv-It T-shirt dishing out what he spent the day making
himself. (Malt Creme? Peanut Butter Plus? Peppermint?
Mango?) Put it all together in one of your favorite sundae combinations
(the "Western" with fresh pecans and hot fudge, perhaps), and you'll
immediately understand the place's name. Luv-It is at 505 E. Oakey
Blvd. 384-6452. LuvItFrozenCustard.com
Sunset Magazine -
Hidden Vegas... (Jan. 2006, p38)
EAT: Luv-It Frozen
Custard. What: Yummy frozen treats at a walk-up stand.
When: Open Tues-Sat. Where: 505 E. Oakey Blvd;
702/384-6452.
944 Magazine - Frozen
in Time: Las Vegas's Sweet Treat Institution (Feb 2006)
FROZEN IN TIME
LUV-IT CUSTARD:LAS VEGAS'S SWEET TREAT INSTITUTION
By BY MATT KELEMEN
February 3, 2006
They come from all over, descending on this small building in the shadow of
the Stratosphere, east of the intersection of Oakey and the Strip, for the
most coveted sweet treat in Las Vegas. The same guy fixes their orders every
time; it seems as if he lives at Luv-it Frozen Custard. That’s OK, as long
as he keeps serving up single cones of vanilla and double-sized cups of
chocolate. It’s hard to get past the pleasures of those basic flavors, but
one of these days they’re going to try the fresh banana nut, blueberry or
malt crème flavors. A whole slew of sundaes and specialty dishes can be made
to order, but first timers can’t resist the Western (hot fudge, caramel and
pecans).
On the day 944 speaks with Greg Teidemann, he has just returned from being
interviewed for a KNPR radio program. He doesn’t remember what the title
was, and is surprised that anyone would find him interesting enough to be on
the radio. “I don’t,” he laughs when asked if he thinks his story is
worth the airtime. “You think I’m kidding?”
He’s not kidding, and even though he plays it down, Teidemann is at the helm
of one of Las Vegas’s most sacred institutions. His grandmother Dorothy
Woods started Luv-it in 1973 after learning the business in Milwaukee at
Leon’s, which still stands today. He remembers walking around the store as a
four-year-old before it opened for business. Working there throughout his
teens, Teidemann grew up with the business, and when it came time for Dorothy
to sell, he voluntarily sealed his fate as the keeper of the custard.
You can find Teidemann there five days a week, dishing out the freshly made,
egg-based (for “smoother and creamier texture” than ice cream) dessert
until the last customer is satisfied. “There’s many times I’ll stay
late. Just this last Saturday I stayed until 25 after 11 ’cause people kept
coming,” he says, describing the many times he turned around after closing
up shop rather than deny someone a frozen fix. “Especially since they’ve
probably came for some distance to be there. Gotta do the right thing. What
would you want to happen if it was you?”
GOTTA LUV-IT...
WHAT: Luv-It Frozen Custard
WHERE: 505 E. Oakey Boulevard
WHEN: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday; 1 p.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays
and Saturday
Las Vegas Life - Annual Vegas
100 "Best of the City 2005" Dec 2005 p.90
BEST
FROZEN CUSTARD - Luv-It
Frozen Custard is basically just ice cream with eggs in it, but in the Midwest,
at places such as Ted Drewes in St. Louis, it is practically a way of
life. The soft version of frozen custard has long had exemplary
representation here on a side street just off the upper part of the Strip, and
only locals know about it. It can be enjoyed at a stand called Luv-It.
The egg rich suspension comes in several flavors that change daily, plus vanilla
or chocolate, which are always available. This is rich custard that will
stand up against anyone's, and one decadent way to enjoy the vanilla is a
Western sundae - the custard jammed into a cup topped with hot fudge, hot
caramel, and pecans.
|
Overall:
Excellent
Service: Excellent
Cleanliness: Excellent
Location: Excellent
Value: Excellent
pros: Wonderful, tasty, smooth custard served with a smile.
cons: No picnic tables or anywhere to hang out and eat this
wondrous treat.
Comments: I've been to this custard stand several times and each
time it is the same. I believe it's family owned and operated and has
been, by the same family, for decades. That's my impression anyway. They
were voted Best of Las Vegas and for a reason! They have wonderful
friendly service and simply amazing custard offerings. You can get it in a
cone, dish, sundae or several sizes to take home. Every day offers a
different feature flavor and they're all simply delicious!
*
FIVE time winner for the Las Vegas Review Journal's Annual "BEST of
Las Vegas" Contest. |
|
- Reviewed by Tammy
|
Luv-It Frozen Custard
505 E. Oakey Blvd.;
384-6452
$; Casual
The Tiedemann family's
walk-up window in the shadow of the Stratosphere and on the edge of the John S.
Park Historic District. Creamy, dreamy frozen custard (made daily on site from
fresh eggs and cream) kicks the ass of any ice cream you ever had. Have a real dessert for a change. Why: A Vegas institution
since 1973.
Last
stand: Luv-It
Frozen Custard is the best-tasting stuff we've ever had in our happy
little mouths. Order the delicious Western Special -- caramel, hot fudge,
pecans, Luv-It's rich, creamy custard and a maraschino cherry purely as an
afterthought -- and you'll begin your descent into addiction. Ice cream? What's
that?
Secret #13 (Luv It
Frozen Custard)
Secret
#13 (Luv It Frozen Custard)
This little place of pure taste
bud joy has been around forever in Las Vegas (1973.) It is off of Las
Vegas Blvd and Oakey (505 E. Oakey.) Think of it as like soft serve ice
cream but a little better for you. They make a great bunch of flavors and
they also offer wonderful sundaes, shakes, and floats among other goodies.
Also, if you are lucky, a firetruck will pull up and the firemen will
order their treats. Makes for great eye candy too. Please make sure you
support one of our local establishments. Here is a link to their web site.
http://www.luvitfrozencustard.com/
Top Las Vegas attractions:
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Top Las Vegas restaurants:
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Sunset
Magazine: September 2005 - Five Great Las Vegas Desserts p.52
BELLAGIO:: Jean-Philippe
Patisserie. With a 27 foot tall chocolate fountain and indulgent truffles
and crepes, you just can't go wrong at this French chocolatier. But our
favorite is the simple, delectable, chocolate-covered graham-cracker cookie.
HARD ROCK HOTEL: Simon
Kitchen and Bar. Treats to take you back to childhood from cotton candy to
the Hostess Cupcake-like chocolate pudding cake.
MANDALAY PLACE: BuRger
Bar. Dessert burgers look like the real thing, but a glazed-doughnut bun
frames a patty of peanut butter mousse and a layer of pressed raspberry jelly
ketchup.
OFF THE STRIP: Luv-It
Frozen Custard. The rich, creamy frozen custard served from the little
shack off the north end of the Strip has drawn locals since 1973. Four
flavors change daily.
TREASURE ISLAND: Steak
House. The hot chocolate potpie is a tasty takeoff on the American
classic.
|
You voted for the best Ice Cream in Las Vegas, and we tallied the
results. See if your favorites are winners, and tell us if you agree
or disagree by adding your own ratings. |
|
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| 1. |
Luv
It Frozen Custard
505 E. Oakey, Las Vegas, Nv
Forget ice cream. This outpost for frozen custard serves up some of
the most delicious desserts in town.
|
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| 2. |
Cafe
Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV
Enjoy award-winning pastries and Italian ice cream at this brightly
colored cafe.
|
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| 3. |
Leatherby's
577 E Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV
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| 4. |
Cold
Stone Creamery
9350 W. Sahara #140, Las Vegas, NV
Sweet tooths line up for ice cream concoctions made on a granite slab.
|
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| 5. |
Ben
& Jerry's
3700 W Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV
Thanks to this chain, everyone can enjoy chunky, funky ice cream with
a clear conscience.
|
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| 6. |
Haagen-dazs
Ice Cream
3790 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
The king of America's favorite dessert.
|
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| 7. |
Danielle's
Chocolates & Ice
6394 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV
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| 8. |
Dairy
Queen
2607 Windmill Pkwy, Henderson, NV
A soft-serve ice cream haven for little league teams, teenagers and
families.
|
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| 9. |
Baskin-Robbins
4420 E Charleston Blvd Ste 1, Las Vegas, NV
Scooping up 31 flavors since the 1950s, this long-time dessert parlor
is the world's largest ice-cream franchise.
|
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| 10. |
Cold
Stone Creamery
9785 S. Maryland Parkway, Suite A-1, Las Vegas, NV
Sweet tooths line up for ice cream concoctions made on a granite slab.
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Luv-It Custard Shop
Las Vegas 
 "Store bought ice cream is put to
shame" by the "sweet, creamy, rich in flavor" homemade custard
from the Luv-It Custard Shop, which has been serving Las Vegas locals since
1973. Although it is "not much more than a stand," you can expect a
line of over 20 people on hot summer evenings waiting for Luv-It's Western
Sundae--a huge cup of frozen vanilla custard topped with hot caramel, fudge,
salted pecans, and a maraschino cherry; it's "as much a classic as Luv-It's
walk-up order window."
December
2004 Las Vegas Life magazine "The Vegas 100" (Click
HERE)
article
coming soon...
VEGAS.COM
"Secrets to Vegas" (CLICK HERE
)
Last stand: Luv-It
Frozen Custard is the best-tasting stuff we've ever had in our happy little
mouths. Order the delicious Western Special -- caramel, hot fudge, pecans, Luv-It's
rich, creamy custard and a maraschino cherry purely as an afterthought -- and
you'll begin your descent into addiction. Ice cream? What's that?
LvLiving.com
(CLICK
HERE for link) Luv-It
Frozen Custard - Award winning ice cream and custard shop located in the
gateway to downtown Las Vegas.
Dessert:
Ready for
Dessert? Try the best in Las Vegas: Luv
it frozen custard Find out what we locals have known and enjoyed since 1973.
Voted "Best of Las Vegas" three years by the Las
Vegas Review Journal, Luv it is guaranteed to more than satisfy the palate
of even the pickiest ice cream and frozen desert connoisseur. 505 E. Oakey
Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702)384-6452 located just north of the stratosphere
on Oakey, just east of Las Vegas Blvd., next to the AM/PM station.
LAS VEGAS
WEEKLY JANUARY 21, 2005 (CLICK
HERE)
Tourists
For Breakfast: The
forgotten Strip
Las Vegas Boulevard doesn't disappear after
Sahara Avenue
Geoff
Carter (geoff.carter@vegas.com)
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| Photo
by Billy Logan |
I'm going to
ask you to play along with me for a moment. As you read these words, I
want you to hear them as they would be delivered by a 1950s-vintage Bell
and Howell projector: Meaning, I want you to hear them garbled almost
beyond all earthly recognition. "Thbe Grbeat Whbite Shbark cban
swibm in jusbt thrbee fbeet of wabter!"
The reason I'm having you fill your ears with Jello-O is a simple one:
This is a documentary. An unflinching look at the part of Las Vegas
Boulevard that you've been speeding through: the stretch between the
Stratosphere and the Fremont Street Experience. Believe it or not, this
is a fairly lively part of town, and not as scary as some may lead you
to believe. And it boasts some tastes you've just got to try, and some
sights you've got to see. Ready to hit the wilderness?
FIRST STOP: LUV-IT CUSTARD
"It's what God eats," says a good friend of Luv-It Frozen
Custard (505 E. Oakey, 384-6452), and he could very well be right. It's
not too difficult to figure out what The Almighty would enjoy in frozen
custard--it's made with fresh eggs and cream, it's got less fat and
sugar than most varieties of ice cream, and it tastes like clouds look.
Cover this manna with chocolate, caramel, nuts, blueberries or
butterscotch and you've got religion.
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How
Do We Luv-It
Let Us
Count the Ways
By Joe Schoenmann • Illustration
by Katie Ridley
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Few things in life have the power to evince
imagination. The tease of a partially clad Amazonian
goddess onstage? Perhaps. The orange flicker of a
cigarette at the end of a dark alley? Maybe. The
first time. Maybe even the second. But by the third,
sex and danger? Old hat.
What never fails to draw forth the Walter Mitty
in all of us is the cup or cone of Luv-It Frozen
Custard. Because when you're on a cup, or after a
few hits of the "mustard"—that's nerd
for the custard, because something this cool needs a
nickname, and "mustard" is just pure
enough to stand up to the "Happy Days"
purity of Luv-It custard—you get the feeling
anything's possible. Just look around there some
night. The sun set two hours ago, it's still
100-plus outside, there are wallet-hungry derelicts
swigging 40s a block away and bored strippers
trudging into nearby Olympic Garden. Yet, as long as
you hold the mustard, it's a mosquito-free, starlit
80-degree night by the lake.
The power of Luv-It.
A simple, creamy chocolate Luv-It cone in hand,
and you're elevated above the other dudes ogling the
strippers. In Luv-It Land, a threesome of strippers
suddenly sweeps you up and carries you wildly into
the eye-brow plucking, Brazilian-waxed confines of
their harem backstage. With a hot fudge sundae,
you're no longer tsk-tsking the middle-aged men on
bicycles downing malt liquor beside that cluster of
nearby apartments; now, you're jive-walking their
way, slapping high-five signs up and down the line,
taking hits from the bottle and, by night's end,
leaving with one of those cool street names like
"Snake Pliskin."
How else does such a humble establishment—hell,
even to people so heat-stroked they're seeing
mirages, Luv-It remains nothing but a sliding-glass
window behind a Chinese food/doughnut shop at Oakey
and Las Vegas boulevards—survive 31 years in a
city that glorifies nothing old but kneels at the
crumblings of the imploded?
Some say it's magic; there's something in the
secret recipe developed by Dorothy Wood, a Wisconsin
native who brought this wonder to Las Vegas...
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| Find
the full article in Las Vegas Life Magazine. |
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February
26, 2004 LAS VEGAS MERCURY magazine (CLICK
HERE)
Luv-It Frozen Custard
505 E. Oakey Blvd.; 384-6452
$; Casual
The Tiedemann family's walk-up window in the shadow of the
Stratosphere and on the edge of the John S. Park Historic District has been a
Vegas institution since 1973. Creamy, dreamy frozen custard (made daily on site
from fresh eggs and cream) kicks the ass of any ice cream you ever had, so brave
the urban location and have a real dessert for a change.
Marche Bacchus
|
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| By Anne Sneddon |
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Forget ice cream. This outpost for frozen custard serves up
some of the most delicious desserts in town.
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The Scene
Okay, so the East Oakey Boulevard location is a little obscure for
most suburban-dwelling folks. In fact, most people are only vaguely aware
of Luv It because they've seen it next door to Olympic Garden. However,
for those who have discovered the delicious and the unique, there's no
going back to plain old ice cream.
The Food
At the risk of sounding redundant, try the frozen custard. It isn't
like frozen yogurt. Heck, it isn't even like ice cream. It's real custard,
made with real eggs and real vanilla--only frozen. Flavors are seasonal,
but try one of their three best sellers: fresh banana nut, creamy butter
pecan and tart lemon. There's simply no better way to beat the oppressive
summer heat for under five bucks. |
VIA
(July/August 2003) LAS VEGAS; BARGAIN GETAWAY: After dinner, ask any
local for the scoop of ice cream. Chances are they'll direct you to Luv-it
Frozen Custard. This family-run business serves a delightful dessert that's
denser than ice cream and worth every cool calorie.
 LAS
VEGAS LIFE (July
2003) - 75 Great Things to Eat: Special Western
Sundae at Luv-It Frozen Custard. Luv-It's near Downtown locale might seem
a little intimidating, but the Western Sundae makes it worth the trip. A
huge cup of frozen vanilla custard topped with hot caramel and fudge, salted
pecans and a maraschino cherry, this dessert is as much a classic as Luv-It's
walk-up order window. 505 E. Oakey Blvd. 384-6452.
May
2003 MoveToLasVegas.com article BELOW...: (Click
HERE for link)
|
Author: Bill (65.122.24.---)
Date: 05-01-03 11:45
This copy & paste makes Bills stuff just boring! LOL I am not
a stock holder or spammer; I just love frozen custard and this may
be the best in Las Vegas.
Customers 'luv' frozen custard
By GINGER MIKKELSEN
VIEW STAFF WRITER
Greg Tiedemann has worked at Luv-It Frozen Custard since he was
14. He started out working for Dorothy Wood, the company founder
he knew simply as grandma.
In 1997, he and his wife Sharon bought the business located one
block east of Las Vegas Boulevard at 505 E. Oakey Blvd. and they
have been churning out custard and customer satisfaction ever
since.
Sharon runs the business side, turning to advertising and the
internet in hopes of making Luv-It a nationwide household word.
Greg is happy just making custard and greeting customers. He isn't
a typical suit and tie CEO. Most days he's dressed in shorts and a
T-shirt handing cones out the business's walk up window. Many of
his customers don't even know he runs the show. They do know this
is a man who can make custard. After so many years, it's a job he
can do on autopilot.
"I could be blind and probably do this. It's so
automatic," Tiedemann said.
The local custard king does get a few fans who know his face. One
customer came in a few weeks ago holding a copy of a 2-year-old
newspaper food section with Tiedemann's photo on the front. This
man wanted only two things, custard and an autograph.
"Why me? I could see if he wanted Tom Cruise's autograph or
something," Tiedemann asked with a laugh, " But why me?
I'm nobody."
His customers disagree. Even on one of the coldest days of
January, customers were lining up outside the window for custard.
Jackie Miller came all the way from the northwest side of Las
Vegas for her first taste of the custard she had heard so much
about. After one bite, she was hooked.
"It's like homemade," Miller said. "It's really
vanilla. I'm not sure it's diet, but it's wonderful."
Robert Bettinger works downtown, so he comes to Luv-It Frozen
Custard more often than he will admit.
"It's one of the best kept secrets in town," the Green
Valley resident said. "But the locals know."
Southeast Las Vegas resident Steve Hodges comes out as often as he
can to buy a Banana Luv, a sundae with hot fudge, banana and
crunch topping.
"My kids love it here, too," Hodges said. "When we
come out for a treat, we come here."
Employees are fans of the custard, too.
Marisol Gonzalez has worked at Luv-it for a year and most days she
eats custard for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"I didn't even know what custard was until I started working
here, "Gonzalez said. "Now I love it better than ice
cream.
Remarkably, she has lost more than 30 pounds since she started.
Sharon said most employees lose weight while working at the
custard shop. She said there is less sugar and fat in custard than
ice cream, but that still doesn't explain it.
"We probably just work them hard," she said.
Luv-it's owners get asked a dozen times a day when they plan on
expanding or franchising. For now, just running one shop is enough
headache for them to handle. But franchising is another story. If
Greg can be convinced that quality would stay the same at
franchise shops, Sharon just may talk him into it. She's hoping to
start franchising the store within the next two years.
Luv-it Frozen Custard is open Sundays 1 to 10 p.m., Mon.-Thurs. 11
a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday noon to 11
p.m. Prices begin at $1.75 for a single cone and extend to $4.50
for the largest super sundae. They also serve custard drinks like
shakes, malts and whips and prepackaged Luv-Sticks and frozen
bananas. Vanilla, chocolate and a few different flavors are made
fresh every day. The owners put up a list so customers know what
day their favorite is due to be made. Greg also takes a few
advance requests, especially for larger orders. Any flavor is
available almost any day hard packed in pint ($3.75), quart
($5.45) and 1/2 gallon ($7.95) sizes. For more information, check
out the Web site at www.luv-it-frozen-custard.com or call the
store at 384-6452.
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Las
Vegas Advisor (July 2003) Local Corner - Luv-It
Frozen Custard... A
half block east of Las Vegas Blvd. and a half block north of the Stratosphere,
on Oakey, sits a little shack with a drive-up window that's served the
creamiest, silkiest, sweetest frozen concoction this side of Margaritaville
since 1973 (in the same location and by the same family). It's custard, a
variation of ice cream with an egg base, so it has less sugar and milk fat and
no ice crystals. Less air is whipped in, so it's richer and melts
slower. The custard, which has earned "Best Ice Cream" honors in
the Review Journal's poll four out of the past five years, comes in 24 flavors,
everything from apple spice and egg nog to mango and peanut butter; lemon is the
local fave. Everything is made fresh daily, with five or so flavors of the
day. Luv-It also serves 20 different sundaes, plus malts, shakes, floats,
and custard sodas.
"HUNRGY?
LAS VEGAS" by Tod Goldberg
(book available at: AMAZON.COM)
Luv-It
Frozen Custard: Repeat after me: "You must go
here." "You must eat frozen custard."
"Baskin-Robbins is evil!" One of the delectable sundaes - try
the caramel and you may never eat solid food again. The frozen custard
itself - you just don't see it anymore and it's a shame. Get yourself a
shake or a malt and you'll be forgiven for whatever sins you've committed.
Just a few seats - it's not much more than a stand. Who cares about
ambience when you're sucking down the most delicious creation known to man -
frozen custard tastes like what ice cream should taste like: creamy, rich,
succulent and a bunch of other words that mean the same thing; you'll see
everyone here from the transients, to hookers, to college students, to soccer
moms, to the mayor - no one speaks, they just eat. Forget about
Baskin-Robbins or any one of those marble slab joints, Luv-It is an American
icon: a mom and pop operation that hasn't changed a thing about itself since the
beginning of time. They serve plain, old-fashioned creamy goodness and
unless they are gentrified out of existence, will continue to do so until the
end of the earth. If Luv-It closes down, the terrorists win.
Desert:
Ready for
Desert? Try the best in Las Vegas: Luv-It Frozen Custard. Find
out what we locals have known and enjoyed since 1973. Voted "Best of
Las Vegas" four years by the Las Vegas Review Journal, Luv-It is guaranteed
to more than satisfy the palate of even the pickiest ice cream and frozen desert
connoisseur. 505 E. Oakey Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702)384-6452 located
just north of the stratosphere on Oakey, just east of Las Vegas Blvd., next to
the AM/PM station.
Date:
December 8, 2002 (click here to go to Las Vegas Weekly)
Tourists For
Breakfast: The forgotten Strip
Las Vegas
Boulevard doesn't disappear after Sahara Avenue
I'm
going to ask you to play along with me for a moment. As you read these words, I
want you to hear them as they would be delivered by a 1950s-vintage Bell and
Howell projector: Meaning, I want you to hear them garbled almost beyond all
earthly recognition. "Thbe Grbeat Whbite Shbark cban swibm in jusbt thrbee
fbeet of wabter!"
The reason I'm having you fill your ears with Jello-O is a simple one: This is a
documentary. An unflinching look at the part of Las Vegas Boulevard that you've
been speeding through: the stretch between the Stratosphere and the Fremont
Street Experience. Believe it or not, this is a fairly lively part of town, and
not as scary as some may lead you to believe. And it boasts some tastes you've
just got to try, and some sights you've got to see. Ready to hit the wilderness?
FIRST STOP: LUV-IT CUSTARD
"It's what God eats," says a good friend of Luv-It Frozen Custard (505
E. Oakey, 384-6452), and he could very well be right. It's not too difficult to
figure out what The Almighty would enjoy in frozen custard--it's made with fresh
eggs and cream, it's got less fat and sugar than most varieties of ice cream,
and it tastes like clouds look. Cover this manna with chocolate, caramel, nuts,
blueberries or butterscotch and you've got religion.
Frommers
/ Las Vegas 2002 -A World of Travel Experience (click here to go to Frommers)
Hot
Vegas days call for cool desserts, and frozen custard (softer than regular ice
cream, but harder than soft serve) is a fine way to go. Head for Luv-It
Frozen Custard, 505 E. Oakey, at the Strip (tel. 702/384-6452), open
Monday to Thursday 11am to 10pm, Friday 11am to 11pm, Saturday noon to 11pm,
Sunday 1 to 10pm. Since it has less fat and sugar than premium ice cream, from
which it also differs slightly in taste and texture, you can even fool yourself
into thinking this is somewhat healthy (hah!). Made every few hours using fresh
cream and eggs, Luv-It Frozen Custard has basic flavors available for cup or
cone, but more exotic ones (maple walnut, apple spice, and more) in tubs.
Desert:
Ready for
Desert? Try the best in Las Vegas: Luv
it frozen custard Find out what we locals have known and enjoyed since 1973.
Voted "Best of Las Vegas" three years by the Las
Vegas Review Journal, Luv it is guaranteed to more than satisfy the palate
of even the pickiest ice cream and frozen desert connoisseur. 505 E. Oakey
Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104 (702)384-6452 located just north of the stratosphere
on Oakey, just east of Las Vegas Blvd., next to the AM/PM station.
Gut Reactions: Confection of desire
By Dayvid Figler
File
under "you don't know what you got until you think it's gone." In
business since 1973 at the same quaint window on Oakey Boulevard barely east of
Las Vegas Boulevard South, Luv-it Frozen Custard is not going anywhere. This
fact, however, did not alleviate my fears on a recent Sunday evening when
driving by. The window was dark and the typical line of 4-5 cars was absent. You
can call it hyperbole if you want, but my heart started an irregular pattern.
While I hadn't intended a stop this night, I immediately applied the brakes and
entered the abandoned parking lot. See, here in Las Vegas, history has shown us
that a place can go away on a moment's notice. One day, it's wildly popular
business X, then it's up for rent, then it's something else, then before you
know it--a postdate-your-checks emporium. You can imagine how I warily
approached the Luv-it Frozen Custard window--hands trembling, brow furrowed--to
read the sign that had been placed there. (Or maybe you can't). After all, it's
just an ice cream shop, right? Well, no, on two accounts.
First,
it's not ice cream. Ice cream (as the sign out front establishes) differs from
frozen custard in many respects. Frozen custard is "richer in flavor with
an egg base, has less fat and sugar than most premium ice creams, has a smoother
and creamier texture, a greater density because of less air whipped in and melts
slower than ice cream." Nonetheless, people call it ice cream because it's,
like, the best ice cream ever. I've stood outside the serving window many times
and overheard people ask for chocolate "ice cream" while the owner
smiles and dutifully gives them pure pleasure in a cup. I wonder if there's a
voice in his head screaming, "It's custard, you idiot, custard...can't you
read?" But this is a place of absolute niceness and such would be
apocryphal to the way they do business.
Second, Luv-it Frozen
Custard has magical healing powers, as least it does for me and many of my
friends. Honestly, I don't know if it's the custard as much as there is some
kind of benevolent voodoo or witchery going on behind the scenes. I could have a
headache, stomach ache, bad day, deep depression--it doesn't matter--the moment
someone says the word "Luv" and within 30 seconds the word
"It" I am on the road to recovery. Again, you can dismiss this
all--saying it's overstatement, exaggeration, a blatant attempt to get free
custard on my next visit--but I'm telling you Something Glorious This Way Comes.
And while results must vary from person to person, I have yet to meet a
detractor.
So, on the evening when
the lights were off, I was relieved to learn the owners had only taken a week
off to celebrate Easter. Sure enough, the place was open again the following
Thursday. Plenty of chances left for a "Junior Desert" (hot fudge,
marshmallow and pecan topping), "Swiss Brownie Nut" (swiss chocolate,
brownie bits and walnuts) or "Banana Luv" (banana, hot fudge,
"crunch"). You pick the flavor of the custard beneath. Every day
brings new available flavors (in addition to ever-present vanilla and
chocolate). Most sundaes are under $4. Toppings range from the traditional
fruits, sweets and nuts to confections like jimmies, krumble and the
aforementioned crunch, but typically people who want more than just a cone order
one of the pre-designed sundaes as the proportions are perfect and no
enhancement is necessary (quite unlike their parking lot neighbor, Olympic
Garden Adult Cabaret).
Rumor is the Luv-it
Frozen Custard family is looking to start up franchises, maybe even aim for
world domination. I'm not a big fan of replicating something that stands for
integrity, is steeped in history and, because of the watchful eye of a dedicated
caretaker, gives the goods every time. If, however, this is what they want, I
hope they get it, because maybe it will get the custard closer to you. Because
if you haven't--it's time that you do.
"Greg and Sharon
Tiedemann serve creamy Frozen Custard at their Luv-It shop in Las Vegas"
We Luv-It
LAS VEGAS - Since 1973, a
humble shack known as Luv-It Frozen Custard on the corner of Oakey
and Las Vegas Boulevard has been dispensing creamy, handmade desserts. For
nearly 30 years the custard has been made fresh every day by the same family;
owner Greg Tiedemann bought the business from his grandmother in 1997.
Fresh eggs, cream, and natural extracts are combined in a secret family recipe
to create a custard creamier than premium ice cream but lower in fat and sugar,
says Tiedemann.
Luv-it is famous for its
sundaes, and the "Western" topped with hot fudge, caramel, and salty
pecans is deemed the favorite. But you may be hard pressed to decide which
one to order when all 16 special sundaes will make your mouth water. A
special quality of the Luv-It Frozen Custard ensures that it melts slowly - so
the hot toppings stay hot and the custard stays cold until the last bite.
"Many customers come
every day of the week. We know them on a first-name basis and have their
order memorized and sometimes even ready before they approach the window,"
says Sharon Tiedemann, Greg's wife and Luv-It co-owner. Luv-It won a
Citysearch.com 2001 editorial award as the top Ice Cream in Las Vegas and
consistently earns first place in local's choice awards, too. Sharon says,
"That's wonderful because a lot of love goes into our custard."
Las Vegas Review
Journal
2002
BEST OF LAS VEGAS
Luv-It
Frozen Custard
Best Ice Cream/Yogurt
505 E. Oakey Blvd.
Whenever we want to drown our sorrows, we skip the nearby Olympic Garden and
stop at Luv-It for a Western sundae, which comes with hot fudge, caramel and
pecans. Of course, Luv-It's frozen custard is fine just by itself. We're
especially partial to the malt creme (love that retro spelling), but we'll
settle for any of the holy trinity of chocolate, strawberry or vanilla (or any
of the other flavors) as well.
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Cover
Story: The
dream and the dreamers
A
visual trip through the street of Las Vegas
By Kate Silver
|
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The
Strip is the economic engine that keeps Las Vegas alive--of that, there's
no doubt. But the Strip wouldn't be what it is today without the people of
this budding city--the strippers, the construction workers, the casino
kingpins, the homeless, the police, the tourists, the store clerks and the
1.2 million or so others who infuse the city with life.
We took two days recently--there's too much here to capture in just 24
hours--to visually portray the glory, the weirdness, the brashness, the
frustration, the poverty and the unbelievable wealth that is Las Vegas.
Photographers Billy Logan, Lea Pittman, Danny Mollohan and Jenna Bodnar
scoured the city and came up with some photos that reveal Vegas from the
inside-out-- the reality and the fantasy.
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Las Vegas Review
Journal
Sunday, August 05, 2001
Start at the Top
Strip's north end has an
allure all its own
The north end of the Strip is sometimes forgotten in the mad dash to check out
the newer, themed resorts to the south. Yet for heart-pounding excitement, I'd
go north.
Luv-It Frozen Custard
Turn the corner of Oakey
Boulevard for a sweet treat of frozen custard. A locals' favorite, Luv-It Frozen
Custard, 505 E. Oakey Blvd., opened at its location just east of Las Vegas
Boulevard in 1973, and ownership has stayed in one family.
The frozen custard is
made fresh daily from a family recipe. Vanilla and chocolate custards are
featured every day as well as two custom flavors.
The menu lists 11
standard sundaes plus 16 special combination sundaes. Our favorites: the Banana
Fudge Krumble (hot fudge, sliced bananas and cookie krumble) and the Western
(hot fudge, caramel and pecans).
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Editorial Winner
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Luv
It Frozen Custard
They serve, quite possibly, the most delicious frozen custard in
town.
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Las Vegas Review
Journal
Sunrise View
February 14, 2001
Luv-It Frozen Custard is true family business
By GINGER MIKKELSEN
VIEW STAFF WRITER
Greg Tiedemann has worked at Luv-It Frozen Custard since he was 14 years old.
He started out working for Dorothy Wood, the company founder he knew simply as
grandma.
In 1997, he and his wife Sharon bought the business located
one block east of Las Vegas Boulevard at 505 E. Oakey Blvd. and they have been
churning out custard and customer satisfaction ever since.
Sharon Tiedemann runs the business side, turning to
advertising and the internet in hopes of making Luv-It a nationwide household
word.
Greg Tiedemann is just happy making custard and greeting
customers. He isn't a typical suit and tie CEO. Most days he's dressed in shorts
and a T-shirt handing cones out the business's walk up window.
Many of his customers don't even know he runs the show.
They do know this is a man who can make custard. After so many years, it's a job
he can do on autopilot.
"I could be blind and probably do this. It's so
automatic," Greg Tiedemann said.
The local custard king does get a few fans who know his
face. One customer came in a few weeks ago holding a copy of a 2-year-old
newspaper food section with Greg Tiedemann's photo on the front. This man wanted
only two things, custard and an autograph.
"Why me? I could see if he wanted Tom Cruise's
autograph or something," Greg Tiedemann asked with a laugh, "But why
me? I'm nobody."
His customers disagree. Even on one of the coldest days of
January, customers were lining up outside the window for custard.
Jackie Miller came all the way from the northwest side of
Las Vegas for her first taste of the custard she had heard so much about. After
one bite, she was hooked.
"It's like homemade," Miller said. "It's
really vanilla. I'm not sure it's diet, but it's wonderful."
Robert Bettinger works downtown, so he comes to Luv-It
Frozen Custard more often than he will admit.
"It's one of the best kept secrets in town," the
Green Valley resident said. "But the locals know."
Southeast Las Vegas resident Steve Hodges comes out as
often as he can to buy a Banana Luv, a sundae with hot fudge, banana and crunch
topping.
"My kids love it here, too," Hodges said.
"When we come out for a treat, we come here."
Employees are fans of the custard, too.
Marisol Gonzalez has worked at Luv-it for a year and most
days she eats custard for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
"I didn't even know what custard was until I started
working here, "Gonzalez said. "Now I love it better than ice cream.
Remarkably, she has lost more than 30 pounds since she
started.
Sharon Tiedemann said most employees lose weight while
working at the custard shop. She said there is less sugar and fat in custard
than ice cream, but that still doesn't explain it.
"We probably just work them hard," she said.
Luv-it's owners get asked a dozen times a day when they
plan on expanding or franchising. For now, just running one shop is enough
headache for them to handle.
But franchising is another story. If Greg Tiedemann can be
convinced that quality would stay the same at franchise shops, his wife just may
talk him into it. She's hoping to start franchising the store within the next
two years.
Luv-it Frozen Custard is open 1 to 10 p.m. on Sundays, 11
a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and noon to
11 p.m. Saturdays.
Prices begin at $1.75 for a single cone and extend to $4.50
for the largest super sundae. They also serve custard drinks like shakes, malts
and whips and prepackaged Luv-Sticks and frozen bananas.
The owners put up a list so customers know what day their
favorite is due to be made. Any flavor is available almost any day hard packed
in pint ($3.75), quart ($5.45) and half gallon ($7.95) sizes.
For more information, check out the Web site at www.luv-it-frozen-custard
.com or call the store at 384-6452.
Las Vegas Review
Journal
Tuesday, May 09, 2000
Can't Stand the Heat?
Southern Nevadans can find various ways to cool down
It's hot out. Too hot. Unseasonably hot.
About-15-degrees-above-normal hot.
If you don't believe us, believe the guy at a
local swamp-cooler business, who shall remain nameless by his own request:
"Please, I don't want another
customer," he said with a groan when contacted late last week. "I
don't want to even think about it."
OK, so it's hot. But what can you do to keep
cool?
Well, there are the traditional escape-the-heat
things, of course. You could catch an afternoon movie, although since the
closure of the theaters at the Gold Coast, there don't appear to be any that are
at meat-locker level.
You could go by a friendly neighborhood
supermarket that has the old-fashioned open-chest freezers and lean over for a
good chill -- or maybe just hang around in the aisles. If the supermarket has
enclosed freezers, you might find an excuse to open the doors and lean in
frequently.
If you own a restaurant -- or know someone who
does -- you could hang out in the walk-in freezer. Just be sure the health
district inspector doesn't catch you, or you'll end up in "Restaurant
Report."
Or you could go by the ice rink at the Santa Fe,
4949 N. Rancho Drive, where supervisor Donald Thompson said the air temperature
hovers around 50 degrees.
Thompson said he suspects some people come by the
rink not just to hone their skating prowess, but because it can be a very
comfortable place to be.
"In the summertime, they probably do,"
Thompson said. "The kids are out of school and they want to do something
that's cool, so they come here for that."
You could go out for ice cream. At Luv-It Frozen
Custard, 505 E. Oakey Blvd., owner Greg Tiedemann said his normal summer
business patterns haven't kicked in yet.
"I just don't think the heat's caught up
with everybody," he said.
Normally, Tiedemann said, high temperatures slow
down daytime business and speed up business after dark.
"At night -- even when it's still like 100
out -- that's when we really pack 'em in," he said. "As soon as the
sun goes down, we'll be busy from then 'til the end."
Hotter temperatures also bring out Luv-It's
summer flavors.
"We do mango in the summer; we do orange
more often," he said. "It's a more refreshing flavor. Pineapple seems
to go well. Piña colada, we make a lot more."
Las Vegas Review
Journal
1998 BEST OF LAS VEGAS
Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt
Our Pick: LUV-IT FROZEN CUSTARD
505 E. Oakey Blvd.
Nothing against the chain parlors that have helped make frozen
yogurt a lower-fat American staple, but there are times when you just have to
have something different. Old-style Luv-It, a 24-year independent in Las Vegas,
makes all manner of ice cream delights but it's the creamy frozen custard made
daily that always leaves us smiling. The diet can wait!
Las Vegas Review
Journal
2000 BEST OF LAS VEGAS
Best Ice Cream or Yogurt
Our Pick:
LUV-IT FROZEN CUSTARD
505 E. Oakey Blvd.
Neighborhoods change, to put it delicately, and
the valley's ever-outward growth makes it easy to ignore some parts of the
original downtown. But Luv-It's frozen custard is too tempting to be forgotten.
Just ask anyone who works downtown or anyone who goes out of their way to visit
this venerable independent.
Las Vegas Life
Vegas 100
You
deserve the best. And we Happen to have a little list. Well, not so little ...
Best:
"The greatest degree of good or excellence." So say the folks at
Merriam-Webster.
And
so say we, 100 times over, as it pertains to the best city in the world.
Welcome
to Las Vegas Life's first annual Vegas 100, spotlighting the best of all things
Vegas.
65)
BEST
ICE CREAM
The
modest little Luv-It Frozen Custard stand on Oakey Boulevard dates from a
kinder, gentler era--actually 1973--and today it exists almost in defiance of
the grand ice cream parlors and gelato stands gaudily placed in new casinos. A
purist might raise a hand in protest, because adding fresh eggs to an ice cream
mix technically makes it a frozen custard, like French vanilla ice cream. Too
bad. Luv-it makes about 30 flavors in all, but on any given day there are never
more than five or six for sale. Just a few of the best flavors are malt cream,
cheesecake and banana, but the plus-ultra of the Luv-It experience is the
stand's western sundae, a foam cup filled with vanilla custard topped with hot
fudge, caramel and salted pecans. Take that, Doc Adkins.
*All
articles / awards/ write-ups / t.v. spots / radio are Non-Paid Advertising
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