On January 2nd, 2025, My Flavor-It Place, the popular ice cream shop in downtown Lake Zurich, released an official statement on their closure, which can be found on their website.
In the statement, the owners said that the shop closed due to problems with the property. The owners were given a new lease by their landlords, and it was “simply unreasonable to continue operating at this location,” according to their statement. While they also stated they want to find a way to bring back the store, no official plans have been released since. Although this closure was sudden to many in the community, Elysse Bahena, junior and former employee of My Flavor-It Place, said it was not shocking to employees.
“There were rumors going around,” Bahena said. “I was pretty close friends with one of the assistant managers there, and she would talk to the owners about it, and she was like, ‘Oh, yeah, [they are] thinking about maybe closing down the location because of issues with the landlord.’”
Bahena had worked there since the end of June 2024 until October. According to Bahena, Flavor-It gave more to the community than treats. Along with being a town staple, the shop offered a valuable first job opportunity for many high school students, regardless of experience.
“I made a lot of friends there. I think it was a really good first job,” Bahena said. “It was definitely designed for teenagers and high schoolers, especially at this high school here, because they opened up right after school closed. I think it was overall pretty easy and pretty manageable.”
In their statement, Flavor-It’s owners said that the new owner of Flavor-It’s property will be converting the entire corner into a bar. The shop just finished a redesign over the summer, where the shop was painted dark gray. Flavor-It was still open despite the construction.
“[I have] heard a lot of people are responding really negatively to [the closure],” Bahena said. “I think [it is] kind of stupid, especially because I believe [they are] closing down to open up a bar on that entire corner lot. That place has been there for like, over 20 years, so I [do not] think [anyone is] really particularly happy about it.”
Like Bahena noted, many are upset about the closure of My Flavor-It Place. Flavor-It was a part of many LZHS students’ lives because of its proximity to the school itself; it is seven minutes by walking. Lucy Kopp, senior, is one such person.
“I [liked Flavor-It] because [there is] a lot of color in there and [there is] more places to sit down; also because [it is] so close to the school,” Kopp said. “You could go there in May, after a hot day, and get some ice cream with your friends.”
In a recent survey, one student anonymously agreed with Kopp’s ideas. They expressed disappointment in the closure of the store and the replacement by a newer, more modern one.
“[It is] sad to see establishments that have been here for a long time get kicked out and replaced with new establishments,” they said. “I think [it is] devaluing downtown Lake Zurich because so many people enjoyed My Flavor-It Place.”
While some adults, perchance, might like the new bar when it opens, it is clear that Flavor-It was beloved and will be missed by the community. A lot of people attached Flavor-It to Lake Zurich’s identity, and although its two sister locations are not too far from the school, it is the atmosphere and community connection that made this place, specifically, a place to be remembered forever.
“I think [it is] sad; these places have a lot of [Lake Zurich] history attached to them,” Kopp said. “Getting rid of Flavor-It made this town feel a little more forgettable, in a way, because [there is] one less place to visit.”
