Editor’s note: This story has been updated since it originally published Feb. 9., including ownership of the existing BJ’s Velvet Freez on North Union Boulevard.

A beloved, longtime staple of the Colorado Springs food scene is getting a second location.

BJ’s Velvet Freez, a soft-serve ice cream joint with roots that go back to the age of sock hops and drive-in movies, will open a second locale in March at 2900 E. Platte Ave., according to owner Stan Kelley.

“Customers have been reaching out about (a second location) for a long time,” Stan Kelley, who will co-own the Platte Avenue with Corey Houger, told The Gazette. “I think it’s just time to do it.”

Houger owns the original Velvet Freez, which has been at 1511 N. Union Blvd., since 1954.

Meanwhile, fans of The Human Bean, the coffee shop currently occupying the space on Platte Avenue, need not worry, Kelley said.

“We’re going to move that store to a location near Pine Creek High School (on the city’s far north side, off Powers Boulevard and Old Ranch Road),” Kelley said.

The new BJ’s Velvet Freez location will be right in front of Fargo’s Pizza Co., giving Colorado Springs two nostalgic restaurants essentially next door to one another.

“Fargo’s has been open for more than 50 years, that’s another staple that has been around for decades,” Kelley said. “What a cool thing to go get pizza, and then be able to get drive-thru ice cream right next door. It’s a prime spot.”

Opened in 1954, BJ’s Velvet Freez has been serving up soft-serve ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes, burgers and a host of other treats from its Union Boulevard location since the Eisenhower administration, and while Colorado Springs has undergone sweeping changes in the past 70 years, BJ’s has maintained its old-school feel, Kelley said. The ownership team has worked to keep its menu items affordable as well.

“In today’s economy, people are struggling,” Kelley said. “Now more than ever, people want something that’s fast and of good quality, that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. That’s what we want to give them.”

In addition to the classic recipes that make BJ’s one of Colorado Springs’ prime ice cream spots, the new menu will feature “dirty sodas” and gourmet, Chicago-style hot dogs.

“We’re combining the best all-beef hot dogs you can find with the best toppings from all over — from Oregon to Arkansas,” Kelley said. “We’ve done our research, and we think customers are going to love the new items.”

The Platte Avenue location, which will see the Human Bean remade into a Velvet Freez instead of rebuilding from the ground up, could open as early as March 10, if there are no major supply chain issues, according to Kelley.

“We’re thinking the latest would be March 20 or so,” he said.

Kelley plans to encourage patrons to round their totals up to the nearest dollar, and donate those proceeds to local charities, he said.

“Jesus Christ is No. 1 in our lives,” Kelley said. “We want to treat people correctly — not just paying lip service, but taking good care of our customers and our community. I want that to be our company’s message.”