Whitey's Ice Cream facts for kids
Whitey's Ice Cream is a popular ice cream shop chain. It started in Moline, Illinois, and has been a favorite treat in the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa since 1933.
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How Whitey's Ice Cream Started
The very first Whitey's Ice Cream shop opened in Moline, Illinois. It was started by Chester Lindgren. People called him "Whitey" because of his light blonde hair.
In 1935, a 15-year-old named Bob Tunberg began working there. He worked for Whitey for many years. In 1953, Whitey sold the ice cream shop to Bob.
Bob Tunberg and his wife, Norma, worked hard. They made fresh ice cream during the day. Then, they sold it to customers at night.
The business grew! In 1979, a second store opened in Moline, Illinois. After more success, the first store in Iowa opened in 1984. This one was in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Whitey's Ice Cream Today
Today, Bob Tunberg's sons, Jeff and Jon Tunberg, own Whitey's Ice Cream. They work together as co-owners. They keep the "president" title open to honor their dad. He was known as "The Quad-Cities Favorite Ice Cream Man" and passed away in 1991.
Whitey's now has nine locations. These shops are in the Iowa and Illinois Quad Cities. You can also find Whitey's ice cream at special stands. They are at the TaxSlayer Center and Modern Woodmen Park during sports games. If you live far away, you can even order Whitey's ice cream online! They ship it across the United States.
Where You Can Buy Whitey's Ice Cream
In 1988, Whitey's Ice Cream started selling in grocery stores. This meant more people could buy their ice cream. The company now delivers its packaged ice cream to stores and schools. These places are within 100 miles of the Quad Cities.
You can find Whitey's ice cream in many states. It's sold in Hy-Vee stores as far away as Lincoln, Nebraska. That's about 362 miles from Moline! You can also buy it in South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Kansas. Of course, it's also in Iowa and Illinois stores.
Some of the stores that sell Whitey's Ice Cream include:
- Hy-Vee
- Wal-Mart - Sam's Club
- Super Target
- Jewel
- Fareway
- SuperValu
- Econo Foods
Some Whitey's stores have closed in recent years. For example, the store in Coral Ridge Mall in Coralville, Iowa closed. This meant Whitey's was no longer in the Iowa City/Coralville area. Another store in that same area also closed earlier.
Cool Things Whitey's Does
Whitey's Ice Cream is famous for its super thick shakes and malts. They are so thick, you can hold them upside down! This is because they use strong malt machines. Their trained employees also prepare them very carefully.
Whitey's also says they created some popular treats. They were the first to make candy bar shakes. They also came up with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream! They even made a "No Sugar Added" ice cream. It uses Splenda sweetener and is for people who need to watch their sugar.
One of Whitey’s newer ice cream flavors is Sgt. Camo. It looks like camouflage! It's made with graham cracker and marshmallow ice cream. It also has a swirl of Whitey’s fudge. All the money made from selling Sgt. Camo goes to groups that help military veterans. Sgt. Camo ice cream has even been sent to the Pentagon. It has also gone to military families before troops went to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Images for kids
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Current Official Logo.
