Over a year ago, I posted a nostaligic thread on Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlours (and I thank everyone who read and posted to that thread). Wistfully, I asked whether anyone wanted to start a restaurant.
That thread got me to thinking very hard about really opening a Farrell’s, and I did some research. Lo and behold, a company in Laguna Niguel, CA, was ressurrecting the franchise. After months of talking with them and watching the newest Farrell’s (in Santa Clarita) finally open, I joined a limited partnership to open a store in Orange County.
The place we decided on was The Block, in Orange. And for the past several months, details have been hammered out. Finally, an announcement was made: the new Farrell’s is scheduled to open in July of this year.
Here’s a link to the story that ran in last Friday’s Orange County Register:
Farrell’s Comes Back
I’ll own about 25% of the store. And I’m excited beyond measure that this is finally happening. Will I be at the grand opening? You can bet your bottom dollar that I will!
So, all So Cal Dopers, keep your eye out for its opening, and I hope to see you there. (Not that meeting me is anything worth remembering, mind you…)
I remember when The Block of Orange was just a field and an El Torito. There were bears and lions roaming the streams. The mountains that they had to bulldoze down were snow capped.
Now there is just shopping as far as the eye can see. And coming soon a Farrel’s.
If I thought I might get to meet Johnny L.A. and all the other cool
So. Cal Dopers, I would indeed venture out from my little paradise. However, where is the Block? Just shout out some freeway numbers and surface streets, and I am there! Farrell’s rocks, it has been years since I went there - it was the one up in Sacramento, that IIRC had some sort of mishap with a small plane
flying right into it.
Ice cream, ice cream, we’re gonna get some ice cream!
The Block of Orange is near the Orange Crush (you know the 57, 5 and 22 interchange that great big evil area of Orange County) as well as near the Big Ed. From the 22 Freeway, you take The City Drive and head north, it is less than a half mile up the road. (note The City Drive is also State College Blvd by the time it is going by The Big Ed what is it with streets changing names frequently in that county)
That’s funny, deb I remember when The Block was a really ratty indoor/outdoor mall called The City. In fact, that’s where I saw Star Wars in 1977. And I’m pretty sure there was no El Torito there at the time.
Speaking of El Torito, doesn’t it seem strange that The City Drive/State College Blvd has three El Toritos within a few miles of each other? (One at The Block, or a little south of Chapman, one at Katella, and one at Ball.)
You remember that you’d be rewarded for eating a Pig’s Trough with a ribbon that said, “I made a pig of myself at Farrell’s”. Well, they’re expanding that a bit. If you eat any of the “Belly Busters” (Pig’s Trough, Gibson Girl, and Mt Whitney), you’ll get a ribbon. If you eat all three (not in one sitting!), they give you a special “Tri-eat-thlete” award.
My favorite is the Gibson Girl…I could probably still put away a Pig’s Trough and regret it for a few days. But I’d never be able to finish a Mt Whitney.
I will try to update the opening schedule over the spring and summer. According to the partners, the contractor is coming this week to give us a quote on the remodelling, and construction should begin soon. I’ll be making a trip to So Cal about a month after construction starts, to check on the progress and take pictures.
I remember when The Block was a really ratty indoor/outdoor mall called The City. In fact, that’s where I saw Star Wars in 1977. And I’m pretty sure there was no El Torito there at the time.