Remembering A Oakland County Favorite Farrells Ice Cream Parlor

Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor Restaurants. The ice cream parlor restaurant was a place for birthdays and other celebrations. Favorite of kids and families in Michigan and the United States in the 70s and 80s. There was singing and silliness at every Farrells location. By 1975 there were 120 locations across the U.S. Close to home my favorite was in front of Oakland Mall.

Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor was started in Portland, Oregon, by Bob Farrell and Ken McCarthy in 1963. Farrell's became the place to be for your birthday for an incentive they offered a free ice cream sundae to children on their birthday. The employees had a turn-of-the-century theme, wearing candy-stripped outfits, suspenders, dresses, and barber shop quartet-type hats, and each location featured a unique player piano. The piano was a player piano with extra bells and whistles, drums, horns, and more.

Farrell’s Ice Cream and Restaurant menu included old-fashioned hamburgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, ice cream sundaes, ice cream cups, ice cream cones, and a range of beverages as well. But Farrell’s was most famous for its ice cream selections.

Let's see if you remember these great selections. "The Pig Trough", "The Hot Fudge Volcano", "The World Famous Farrell's Zoo." Two employees carrying a giant bowl of ice cream on a two-man stretcher. When the order arrived it was a spectacular event with the employees running around while a fire siren wailed loudly till they came to stop at your table. The employee would make it known by yelling that it was all your fault and to enjoy. The ice cream in the Farrells Zoo served up to 15 people.

Among other publicity stunts, Farrells made the World's Largest Sundae (1,551 pounds) for the Guinness Book of World Records.

Hat off on the inside design of the building. When you were all done at the end of your meal of ice cream. They would tempt you one more time before you paid your bill. You see the cashier was at the end of an old-fashioned penny candy aisle. All the favorites from cinnamon toothpicks, Mary Jane candy, all flavors of rock candy, jaw breakers the size of softballs, and so much more.

At one time there were 120 stores nationwide. 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. By 1990, almost all locations had closed. Hopefully that maybe someday some investor will take another chance and bring back the days of fun and laughter to celebrate with family and friends at Farrell's.