Farrell’s

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour, established in 1963 in Portland, Oregon, was an American ice cream parlor and sandwich chain. The chain ceased operations after the closure of its final location in Brea, California, in 2019.

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Farrell’s History

Founded in 1963 by Bob Farrell and Ken McCarthy in Portland, Oregon, Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour gained fame for offering free ice cream sundaes to children on their birthdays.

The chain, known for its early 1900s theme, including period dress and straw boater hats for employees, and player pianos, was purchased by Marriott Corporation in 1972, reaching 120 locations nationwide by 1975.

Sagging Sales

Sales eventually declined, leading to the sale of most parlors in the 1980s. In 1982, Marriott sold the chain to private investors. By 1990, almost all Farrell’s locations had closed.

Attempts at revival occurred in the 2000s, with discussions of a return to Portland in 2009. In 2008, Parlour Enterprises became the owner, establishing a franchise model and opening seven locations in California.

Dealing with financial challenges, Farrell’s started closing under-performing locations in 2016. Marcus Lemonis, featured on CNBC’s “The Profit,” made a deal in August 2016, keeping three locations open.

However, closures continued, with the Brea location being the last remaining one until its closure on June 8, 2019. Despite Lemonis owning 51% of the brand, he had no ownership in the Brea location.

The Menu

The menu, designed in a tabloid-style newspaper format, offered a variety of items, including appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and numerous sundaes, along with malts, shakes, sodas, and floats.

Unique options included a 2-cent glass of soda water and the tradition of a free sundae for birthday celebrations. Some sundaes were designed for sharing among groups, with the grand “Zoo” sundae delivered dramatically by employees on a stretcher, accompanied by ambulance sirens.

A humorous touch was the inclusion of a “Low-Calorie Diet” menu sheet for those indulging in too much ice cream. The joke-menu featured fanciful foods like “Bees Knees and Mosquito Knuckles,” emphasizing the notion that anything worth eating has calories.

Farrell’s Trivia

• On April 9, 1982, a small private plane crashed and ignited in front of the Torrance, California, Farrell’s location, resulting in the death of the pilot and his two passengers; fortunately, no one on the ground was harmed.
• In 1983, Farrell’s “Birthday Club” data was mistakenly sold to the Selective Service, leading to draft warnings sent to young men. The incident was attributed to an unauthorized sale by a list broker, and the government ceased using the data.
• In April 2014, an out-of-control automobile struck patrons waiting outside the Buena Park, California, Farrell’s, resulting in one fatality and six injuries.
• On August 23, 2016, the reality show “The Profit” discussed Farrell’s financial challenges, leading to Marcus Lemonis becoming the majority shareholder and taking over the Buena Park location, which closed in late 2018.
• A humorous portrayal of Farrell’s birthday greetings is featured in “The Bob Newhart Show” episode “Sorry, Wrong Mother,” with John Ritter playing the ice cream employee.

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