If rich hot fudge is your weakness, there’s a hidden Barberton treasure you can’t afford to miss. Durbin Magic Freeze has become so famous over its 58 years in business [pictured below on opening day in 1953], that people travel from all over the country to enjoy their one-of-a-kind hot fudge. What always surprises me, though, is even as these travelers come time and again for the hot fudge, I often find myself talking to people in the Cleveland and Akron area who have never even heard of it!
When I was a kid, I stood in Durbin’s long line anxiously awaiting a hot fudge sundae with moose track ice cream. When you’re six, a third-minute wait feels like a lifetime, though after I indulged in my hot fudge sundae, the line seemed well worth the wait. Maybe that’s why I applied for my first job at Durbins, and have spent the past five years making their delicious ice cream recipes. It’s also what makes me uniquely qualified to spread the word about Barberton’s hidden ice cream gem.
Maybe the reason people still don’t know about Durbin Magic Freeze is that when they drive by the shop, the only evidence of a popular ice cream destination is the long line out front. The shop doesn’t stand out from the streetscape. Durbin Magic Freeze also isn’t what you would call “technologically advanced.” They don’t often spend money on advertising, and they just recently got into the social media scene. Durbin girls still memorize prices, remember orders without writing them down and calculate the bill in their heads. They don’t use cash registers, They don’t accept checks or credit cards, and are still a cash-only business. Despite the lack of technological advances, their lines are still backed up to the street at 8 p.m. filled with people waiting to discover this local treasure.
Check out the exclusive Cool Cleveland video interview with the owner of Durbin Magic Freeze.
Durbin’s signature product continues to be their hot fudge. A few years ago, an employee started calling all Durbin’s employees “hot fudge hotties.” The catchy name was created to represent their signature product. The memorable phrase did cause some controversy in the Barberton Herald, but customers say they love the “hot fudge hotties,” so they continue to use that name. Customers from all over the country come to taste the hot fudge, and to sample our custard. Durbin Magic Freeze has always used its own custard recipe, handed down from generations, to create 18 tasty custard flavors. Unlike many of the trendy ice cream parlors out there experimenting with gourmet ingredients, Durbin’s flavors are classically delicious, like the ice cream you remember when you were a kid.
Once you taste the old fashioned custard and famous fudge at Durbin Magic Freeze, you’ll be hooked. It’s about time everyone finds out about Durbin Magic Freeze, this local treasure has been kept secret long enough. For more information or to find out the three specialty flavors of the day, visit Durbin Magic Freeze on Facebook.
“Like” the Durbin Magic Freeze Fan Page on Facebook or stop out and meet the Hot Fudge Hotties. Durbin Magic Freeze is open Mon thru Sun 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and is located at 1284 Wooster Road West Barberton, OH 44203.
Jillian Cundiff recently graduated from The University of Akron with her degree in Public Relations. She was given the opportunity to write this piece through a partnership between Cool Cleveland and the Public Relations Writing course at The University of Akron. She enjoyed growing up in the Cleveland area, and visiting the city’s many unique sites.