Many changes are afoot at Old Taylor High.
The nitrogen ice cream shop is adding a candy-store component to it. An antique store is coming in too. A beloved delicatessen has departed. These are just a handful of the transitions taking place at Old Taylor High, located at 410 W. Seventh St., in Taylor. This week, Olin Petke took over operations of the Chemistry Lab Nitrogen Ice Cream in Room 120 of the former high school and middle school. Petke purchased the business from Old Taylor High owners Kaitlin and Cliff Olle, who launched the icecream business earlier this year to increase the offerings for families.
Petke owns the business now with his wife Jacqueline Simons, who opened Class Act Salon upstairs earlier this summer.
“We decided that his idea for a candy-slashice cream shop is better than our idea, so we are selling him the ice cream shop,” Kaitlin Olle said. “He takes it over on Thursday. He is going to run it without changing anything for at least a couple of weeks to make sure everything flows … He is going to bring in fancy candies, like bulk candies, vintage candies and still keep the nitrogen ice cream.”
Petke said he has always wanted to open up a candy shop and has always had a love for ice cream.
“So when Jacqueline and I first started talking about locations for a candy shop in Taylor, the Old Taylor High kind of spoke to us because of the Olles, and because we loved the space, and Jacqueline is already there, so she is real close by, and it’s easy for her,” Petke said.
Kaitlin Olle said the shop’s new focus would also include milkshakes as well as unique food items, such as chocolate- dipped potato chips and even jalapeños.
“Chocolate-dipped jalapeños is apparently a big thing, but not for me,” Kaitlin said with a laugh.
Kaitlin Olle said she is pleased that Old Taylor High gets to enhance its familyfriendly offerings.
“For us, it’s a huge win,” she said. “We are keeping the ice cream, but we are letting somebody else get their dream going and get something even better than what we did.”
Another major change to Old Taylor High involves a departure.
The beloved New-York style deli Mallard Fare, which launched in the fall of 2020, closed its doors Aug. 26 due to the owners’ Heath and Jennifer Lombard’s decision to move out of state. Before leaving, the duo brought back some their sandwich favorites for their loyal customers, including “The Cuban,” which featured their in-house smoked pork belly. “We want to thank Taylor for the love these past few years,” they wrote on their Facebook page. “We could not have asked for more supportive and loyal customers. We have had many great staff members over the last few years that we could not have succeeded without them. And we want to give a special thanks to our family at Old Taylor High, particularly The Olles, who have believed in us from the beginning.”
Kaitlin Olle said she and her husband are considering a few companies for the space to see if another deli and bakery can come in to replace them. Nonetheless, Kaitlin Olle said the Lombards will be greatly missed.
“We are all very bummed about it,” she said. Other changes coming to Old Taylor High include Old Bones New Vintage, an antique store on the first floor, 30-30 Ventures, which will offer tutoring on the second floor, a new taco truck, and even more businesses in the coming months.
Kaitlin Olle said there is a waiting list for tenants at Old Taylor High, and consequently, the couple can be more selective as far as choosing tenants.
“We want retail or some sort of food, something that actually generates traffic,” Kaitlyn Olle said. “The main focus now is to turn this into a retail location, and we think that will help everybody better and fit the vision more.”
Facebook/Mallardfare
