Farrell’s was an ice cream parlor, established first in Oregon in 1963 by Bob Farrell and Ken McCarthy. It had an early 1900s aesthetic, with wait staff wearing period dress and boater hats. A player piano provided entertainment and children received a free sundae on their birthday. By 1970 there were 58 locations and after Marriott purchased the business it grew to 130 locations nationwide.
The Bellevue location, near NE 8th and 102nd, was a popular destination for families. It served as a part-time job for local high school students and a common stop following little league baseball games.
L 96.14.1 - Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor, joke diet menu.
1998.25.11 - Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour Restaurant. North of NE 8th off of 102nd, 1969.
2019.004.001/002 Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour hat.
Farrell’s carried classics like pizza, hamburgers, and hot dogs, but the thing they’re remembered for is their colossal ice cream sundaes. The Zoo Party sundae featured “5 ice creams, 3 sherbets, 5 toppings, whipped cream, nuts, cherries, and bananas.” This party also included balloons, party hats, lunch, and a certificate for the guest of honor. The showstopper of the Farrell’s sundae lineup was the Hot Fudge Volcano. Running about $17 and recommended to serve 10, this sundae boasted 30 scoops of vanilla ice cream (plus all the usual toppings).
“I love Hot Fudge Sundaes; I could die for Hot Fudge Sundaes.”
In 1975 Farrell’s attempted to set a new Guinness World Record for largest ice cream sundae. They ultimately failed when their mountain of 1,675 pounds of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream collapsed. They never got to add the 100 pounds of toppings.
Over the decades, legal battles and debt lead to the closure of many Farrell’s locations. The last Farrell’s closed its’ doors in 2019 in Brea, California.
Resources
Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour Menu. The Seattle Public Library, Special Collections Online. (n.d.). https://spl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16118coll5/id/1192.
Fischer, A., & Bowder, M. (2015, August 14). Founder of popular Farrell's Ice Cream Parlours chain dies at 87. The Columbian. https://www.columbian.com/news/2015/aug/15/founder-popular-farrells-ice-cream-parlours-chain-/.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, July 1). Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrell%27s_Ice_Cream_Parlour.
The Telegraph. (1974, March 28). Avalanche Hits Large Sundae. Google News Archive Search. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19740328&id=gKArAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YPwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2520%2C4417970.
