The newest owner of a longtime Hamilton business is making changes aimed at increasing the amount of offerings and locations.
Teddy Young moved to Hamilton in 2003 and worked for “a certain East Coast sub shop” as a general manager. He and his wife Tari, a Lindenwald native, purchased a home in the Hamilton neighborhood in 2005.
Young said he first considered starting his own business after others lauded his cooking skills at catering gigs and tailgating events. He first considered launching a food truck business, then saw Sweden Creme was on the market.
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“I immediately wanted it,” he said. “I was like, ‘Hey, this is right down the street from my house, it’s already a business, so instead of building something from scratch, let’s jump in there and then we can tweak things the way we want to do things.’
“I’ve seen the potential in Sweden Creme for years and wondered if it would ever reach the next level.”
Young is aiming to do that by revamping the restaurant’s menu and adding “a lot of what we think sets us apart from anyone else.”
The well-known Dixie Burger, with sauteed onions, mustard and a pickle topped with a soft, steamy bun, is still a cornerstone of the menu, but now there are new options.
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That includes an Italian Steak Hoagie, an all-beef hoagie patty cooked with sauteed onions then topped with Italian marinara sauce, pickles, banana peppers and mozzarella cheese.
There’s also a Western Dixie (burger topped with spicy barbecue sauce and crispy fried onion rings) and a Chili Cheese Dog topped with nacho cheese instead of traditional shredded cheddar. Also new is the availability of a Pulled Pork Dixie on a bun or on french fries with homemade cole slaw.
The business also now features a couple of new sundaes, including a Peanut Butter & Jelly and a Nutella Toffee Cruch. It also introduced a Tornado Flavor of the Week, which changes every Tuesday, offering soft serve ice cream and a topping mixed in.
The business also has streamlined how it makes sundaes, which are made from high-end, deluxe ice cream from Morton Dairy, by concocting its own cups — a regular size and a junior size — for each offering.
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Young has bigger plans for Sweden Creme in the near future, including a second, larger location, one that creates a concept with “fast, fresh mentality” and “a 1950s diner feel.”
“I believe in order to sustain your business in any given community, it is important to grow with that community,” he said. “Hamilton is definitely moving up in the world, and we’d like to be a part of that so we will be taking steps to do so.”
With the business receiving messages from people nationwide, Young said he’s also wanting to pursue franchising Sweden Creme.
That’s welcome news to Jodie Julien, who said she made the hour-and-a-half drive from London, Ohio, Tuesday with her 14-year-old son after seeing a Sweden Creme Facebook post shared by friends and family.
“I love orange creamsicles and it just looked amazing and my friends, they just came back from Florida and they always talk about the Dole Whips and so we finally found a place that has them,” she said. “It’s definitely worth the drive.”
Hours for Sweden Creme are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, 11 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday. The restaurant is closed this Saturday and Sunday.
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