Henderson Street in Galesburg has changed over the years, but one constant has been the ice cream shop at 975 N. Henderson St.
It was originally a Baskin Robbins.
Salomon Lim and his wife No bought the existing 31 Flavors franchise and moved to Galesburg when their three sons were young in the 1980s.
Now their son Danny Lim is the second-generation owner.
He bought the business from his mom after his dad died of lung cancer in 2020.
“There have been different landlords and it’s been upgraded with new equipment, but it’s been in the exact same spot for many, many years,” Lim said.
Lim said he and his brothers grew up in the shop.
And it was a pretty sweet life.
After school, extra-curricular activities, and homework, it was straight to the shop to help out.
“We had chores. My dad would literally make us scrub the place, clean up the place, on our days off and on weekends,” Lim said.
Around 2000, the Lim family dropped the Baskin Robbins franchise from their business.
Lim said the franchise fee was getting too expensive and the company was requesting expensive remodeling and upgrades.
So the business became Lim’s Ice Cream, an independent, family-owned contractor selling Ashby’s ice cream.
It’s always been a popular spot.
“When I took over, there were so many loyal customers that were so happy that I reopened it,” Lim said.
He recalls his parents working for years and putting money back into the business before they were making a decent profit.
His father also drove to Burlington to work at General Electric for decades.
“I know now how hard my parents worked. Now that I own it, there’s a lot of new challenges,” Lim said.
Running a small business is always tough.
But since Lim took over three years ago, gas and food prices have soared.
Ice cream, cups, and the ingredients Lim uses to make waffle cones are all much more expensive now.
“Everything across the board has all gone up, from gas prices to my delivery services,” Lim said.
Meanwhile, Galesburg’s population has now dipped under 30,000 people.
Along Henderson Street, locally owned businesses are still making a go.
But new chain competitors are popping up too.
Just a few months ago, a franchise of Nebraska-based Scooter’s Coffee opened a about 500 feet from locally owned Orange Cup Java Station.
Now a joined Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins franchise plans to open at 955 N. Henderson St., just south of Lim’s Ice Cream.
Lim said he welcomes new businesses to Galesburg, but he was a little shocked at first about the location.
Essentially a Baskin Robbins franchise is moving in right next door to his family ice cream business that used to be a Baskin Robbins franchise.
He said if his father knew this was happening, first of all he would have a good laugh.
“He’s probably thinking, at least it’s not me,” Lim said. “I miss my dad dearly. I really do. I go to his gravesite every so often and I talk to him. I still talk to him here. My employees think his ghost is still here.”
Lim said his dad would also see the new competition as a “good, good challenge,” and one that he is ready to take on.
He said he has plans to upgrade equipment and feature local art at Lim’s Ice Cream, and might even paint a mural on the side of the building facing the new place next door.
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