The oldest snowball stand in the country is getting back to its roots with a focus on quality ingredients and historical authenticity.
WATCH: Baltimore's oldest snowball stand returns to its authentic roots
Christopher Heller and his husband purchased Walther Gardens in 2023, quickly discovering they had bought into a neighborhood favorite with deep historical significance.
Now rebranded as "The Peggy," the snowball stand has been continuously operated for 103 years.
"As a multi-business owner, the thing that stressed me out the most was taking on the oldest snowball stand in the country, but also one that I was up for the challenge," Heller said.
When diving into the area's history, Heller discovered just how significant the snowball stand's legacy truly is.
"This farmhouse behind us dates back to 1885, and this was at the time an apple orchard and farm, and then the city grew up around it," Heller said.
The stand was originally opened by Mrs. Sis, whose kitchen became the birthplace of a Baltimore classic.
"What is now the back porch was her kitchen, and that's where the Baltimore Classic egg custard originated," Heller said.
Out of a desire to honor that history, Heller picked up where Mrs. Sis left off, building a commercial kitchen to bring back the real custard magic.
"There was a lot of attention to detail and thoughtfulness in everything that I did in what I now call the Peggy," Heller said.
By bringing The Peggy's treats back to the true original recipe, Heller is actually providing a healthier option because there is no high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors and sweeteners. In fact, the syrups are even organic.
"I wanted to take the bold and hard, hard place to say, you know, I want to make it from scratch," Heller said.
Add in the surrounding gardens that hark back to the corner's agricultural roots, and The Peggy is a beautiful place to relax and cool off. Getting folks to adopt the changes has been a bit slow, but the focus on quality seems to be winning people over.
"Everything was paved with love from this very farmhouse," Heller said.
His mission extends beyond just serving snowballs.
"If the Peggy can mark a change for the way that we, we collectively as Baltimoreans look at the snowball and really bring it back to honoring how it started, then I've won," Heller said.
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