Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour
Encyclopedia
Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour is an American ice cream
parlor chain that was started in Portland, Oregon
by Bob Farrell
and Ken McCarthy in 1963 . Farrell's became known for their offer of a free ice cream sundae to children on their birthday. The parlors had an 1890s theme, with employees wearing period dress and straw boater hats, and each location featured a player piano.
In 1972, the Farrell's chain was purchased by the Marriott Corporation. By 1975, there were 120 Farrell's nationwide.
Thereafter, sales dropped and most of the parlors were sold off in the 1980s. In 1982, Marriott sold the chain to a group of private investors.
In 1983, the Selective Service purchased Farrell's "Birthday Club" data and mailed warnings to young men to register for the draft before their 18th birthday. Farrell's blamed the situation on an unauthorized sale by a list broker, and the government announced they would stop using the list. One of the last original Farrell's locations in Portland, located near the Lloyd Center
mall, closed in 2001. At the time of its closing, it was privately owned and known as The Original Portland Ice Cream Parlor.
Today, the only Farrell's in the mainland U.S. are in the Mountasia Family Fun Center in Santa Clarita, California
and in The Shops at Mission Viejo
in Mission Viejo, California. Two Farrell's are open in Kaneohe and Aiea, Hawaii. There has also been discussion of an eventual return to Portland, Oregon
.
jet piloted by Richard Bingham failed to take off while leaving the Golden West Sport Aviation Show in Sacramento, California. The jet went through a chain link fence at the end of the runway, across Freeport Boulevard, crushing a parked car and crashed into a local Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. The ice cream parlour was occupied in part by the Sacramento 49ers "Little League" football team. Twenty-two people were killed, including twelve children and two people in the parked car. An eight-year-old survivor of the accident lost nine family members including both parents, two brothers, a sister, two grandparents and two cousins. A family of four was also killed in the accident and immediately after the crash an elderly couple trying to cross the street to the crash site were struck by a vehicle killing the wife.
Nearly ten years after the Sacramento tragedy, on April 9, 1982, a small private plane crashed in the parking lot of the Farrell's location in Torrance, California
and burst into flames. The pilot and his two passengers were killed but there were no injuries or fatalities to the people on the ground.
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
parlor chain that was started in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
by Bob Farrell
Bob Farrell (motivational speaker)
Robert E. "Bob" Farrell is an American motivational speaker, author, and founder of Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour and Restaurant.-Early life:...
and Ken McCarthy in 1963 . Farrell's became known for their offer of a free ice cream sundae to children on their birthday. The parlors had an 1890s theme, with employees wearing period dress and straw boater hats, and each location featured a player piano.
In 1972, the Farrell's chain was purchased by the Marriott Corporation. By 1975, there were 120 Farrell's nationwide.
Thereafter, sales dropped and most of the parlors were sold off in the 1980s. In 1982, Marriott sold the chain to a group of private investors.
In 1983, the Selective Service purchased Farrell's "Birthday Club" data and mailed warnings to young men to register for the draft before their 18th birthday. Farrell's blamed the situation on an unauthorized sale by a list broker, and the government announced they would stop using the list. One of the last original Farrell's locations in Portland, located near the Lloyd Center
Lloyd Center
Lloyd Center is a shopping mall in the Lloyd District of Portland, Oregon, United States, just northeast of downtown. It is owned by Glimcher Realty Trust and anchored by Macy's, Nordstrom, Sears, Marshalls and Ross. The mall features three floors of shopping with the third level serving mostly...
mall, closed in 2001. At the time of its closing, it was privately owned and known as The Original Portland Ice Cream Parlor.
Today, the only Farrell's in the mainland U.S. are in the Mountasia Family Fun Center in Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
and in The Shops at Mission Viejo
The Shops at Mission Viejo
The Shops at Mission Viejo is an upscale shopping mall located in Mission Viejo, California. It is the southernmost mall in Orange County and features major stores including Nordstrom, Macy*s, Tommy Bahama, Apple Store, Williams-Sonoma, and Coach. Recent additions to the mall include Zara,...
in Mission Viejo, California. Two Farrell's are open in Kaneohe and Aiea, Hawaii. There has also been discussion of an eventual return to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
Sacramento location tragedy
On September 24, 1972 a privately owned F-86 SabreF-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
jet piloted by Richard Bingham failed to take off while leaving the Golden West Sport Aviation Show in Sacramento, California. The jet went through a chain link fence at the end of the runway, across Freeport Boulevard, crushing a parked car and crashed into a local Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. The ice cream parlour was occupied in part by the Sacramento 49ers "Little League" football team. Twenty-two people were killed, including twelve children and two people in the parked car. An eight-year-old survivor of the accident lost nine family members including both parents, two brothers, a sister, two grandparents and two cousins. A family of four was also killed in the accident and immediately after the crash an elderly couple trying to cross the street to the crash site were struck by a vehicle killing the wife.
Nearly ten years after the Sacramento tragedy, on April 9, 1982, a small private plane crashed in the parking lot of the Farrell's location in Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
and burst into flames. The pilot and his two passengers were killed but there were no injuries or fatalities to the people on the ground.