Photographs of Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, approximately 1963-1975

In 1963, Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour was founded in Portland, Oregon by Bob Farrell and Ken McCarthy. It immediately became a huge success and by 1970 the company had grown to 58 restaurants.

The parlours had an 1890’s theme with menus printed as a tabloid-style newspaper. The employees wore period dress shirts and vests, sleeve garters, old fashioned ties, straw boater hats, and each location featured a player piano. Farrell's became known for their offer of a free ice cream sundae to children on their birthday.

In 1971, the Marriott Corporation showed an interest in the company and subsequently purchased it. By 1975, there were 120 Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlours nationwide with Bob Farrell continuing to work with Marriott as the company continued to open new restaurants.

In 1982, Marriott sold the chain to a group of private investors and under new ownership and management came new visions and a conflicting direction for Farrell’s that did not resonate well with the public. Thereafter, sales dropped and most of the parlors were sold off in the 1980s.. By 1990, almost all Farrell's locations had closed. The final location closed on June 8, 2019 in Brea, California.