Fentons Creamery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fentons Creamery |
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Oakland Fentons Creamery in 2006
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1894 |
| Food type | Ice cream, sandwiches, hamburgers, and salads |
| Street address | 4226 Piedmont Avenue |
| City | Oakland |
| County | Alameda County |
| State | California |
| Postal/ZIP code | 94611 |
| Country | United States |
| Other locations | Vacaville, California |
| Website | www.fentonscreamery.com |
Fentons Creamery is a famous ice cream parlor and restaurant in Oakland, California, United States. It is located on Piedmont Avenue. Fentons is known for being the oldest creamery in California that has been open continuously.
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A Sweet History
Fentons Creamery first opened its doors in 1894. It was started by Eldridge Seth Fenton. The original spot was at 41st and Howe streets. Later, in 1961, the business moved to its current location. This new spot was just a few blocks away.
Over the years, Fentons became famous for its delicious ice cream flavors. Melvin Fenton, Eldridge Seth's grandson, helped create some of these. He is credited with making flavors like Swiss Milk Chocolate and Toasted Almond.
The Rocky Road Story
Fentons Creamery also claims to be the original home of rocky road ice cream. The story goes that George Farren, a candy maker at Fentons, created a "rocky road" candy bar. He then decided to mix this candy into ice cream. This idea inspired his friends, William Dreyer and Joseph Edy, who owned Dreyer's ice cream. They started making their own version of Rocky Road. They used almonds instead of walnuts in their recipe. Even today, Dreyer's still calls its product "The Original Rocky Road."
Rebuilding After a Fire
In 2001, Fentons Creamery was badly damaged by a fire. It cost over $2 million to rebuild the beloved ice cream parlor. When it reopened, it had a new grill, more tables, and a bigger menu.
Fentons in the Movies
Fentons Creamery was featured in the 2009 animated movie Up. The director, Pete Docter, and producer, Jonas Rivera, are regular customers at Fentons. Many other employees from Pixar also enjoy visiting the creamery. Docter said they decided to put Fentons in their movie. This happened after they changed the original script. The first script had an ice cream parlor named after a different place.
More Locations
Fentons Creamery has expanded beyond its original Oakland location. In 2007, a second Fentons opened in Vacaville, California. There was also a shop in the food court at the Oakland International Airport.
Fentons in the News
Fentons Creamery sometimes makes headlines for its fun creations.
The "Cookie Bowl 50"
In February 2016, Fentons created a special dessert. It was to celebrate Super Bowl 50. The Super Bowl was played nearby in Santa Clara. Fentons made the "Cookie Bowl 50." This huge sundae weighed 10 pounds! It had 12 scoops of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. It also had lots of Oreo cookies. These were covered in hot fudge, pineapple, strawberry, marshmallow, and caramel toppings. Plus, there was whipped cream, Oreo crumbles, and cherries. All of this was served in a bowl made from Oreos!
A Generous Tip
In March 2021, Fentons Creamery was in the national news. A very kind customer left a $1,000 tip for the staff. The customer's order was only $63.31. On the receipt, they wrote "stay well" with a smiley face. This act of kindness made many people happy.
Famous Awards
Fentons Creamery has received special recognition for its desserts.
Top Dessert in America
The Food Channel named Fentons' Banana Special the #1 Top Dessert in America. This amazing dessert starts with a ripe, split banana. It is then topped with three pounds of homemade vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate ice cream. Fresh strawberries and pineapples are added next. Finally, a rich chocolate sauce is poured over everything.
