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5 YEARS & 5 CENT SODAS!
On Sunday September 20th, The Franklin Fountain celebrated its 5-year anniversary.
Just 60 short months ago, the Berley family took the plunge into the unknown depths of the soda fountain business. Learning on the fly, with wonderfully supportive friends & family, some honed advice from deceased experts via musty soda manuals and old-fashioned elbow grease, the Berley Bros. scooped their way towards systems, stability and then success. It was a rocking boat, to be sure, those naive early years. Someone told us early on that opening a business was like having a baby…a crying, needy baby that keeps you up late at night, constant feeding, incredible growth spurts and wonderful loving joy that overpowers all. As the business grew and continues to grow, it seems altogether fitting to celebrate the occasion with a party. So on Sunday afternoon, the fountain and customers enjoyed Dixieland jazz music, magic and memories from past staff and plenty of fresh Franklin Fountain Ice Cream! We even rolled back the prices to 1909 on fountain sodas for 5 WHOLE CENTS! (honest)
POPULAR PRESS
Over the summer, we were graced with the gustatory presence of Adam Richman of Man VS. Food, a popular television program on the Travel Channel. On Wednesday September 23rd at 10pm, Adam will be visiting The Franklin Fountain on screen, eating his dessert first (a Mt. Vesuvius sundae, amongst other things) and then traveling to Tony Luke’s for his 5-LB. Cheesesteak Challenge. This will be entertaining for sure! For more information on this boy from Brooklyn and his show see: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Man_v_Food
PEARS & PUMPKINS ARRIVE
Pumpkin Ice Cream begins this first week of autumn, for all devotees. We’re also experimenting with new seasonal sorbets, and this Fall are featuring a Poached Pear Sorbet. Davina hot stewed the local Barlett pears in spiced white wine for the base, which was then frozen at the Ice Cream Dept. Stay in touch and remember to visit us for the latest SCOOP!
HATS CLEANED & BLOCKED
A few weeks ago, brother Ryan found a soft felt Wanamaker’s Homburg at local vintage clothing shop Sazz Vintage (www.sazzvintage.com). Slightly out of shape and a bit dirty, he searched for a venue in Philadelphia to have it cleaned & blocked. Realizing Lit Brothers up the street only provided trimming, he found a gentleman in Portland, Oregon who restores vintage headwear. One new stitched sweatband later, the Homburg came back as good as 1930s new. We’ve made an arrangement with this haberdasher to service hats for our customers. Just give us a ring or ask your soda jerk in person.
SCHOOL’S IN
For the month of September, we will be featuring “The Schoolhouse Sundae” which consists of a tart apple cobbler, warmed, with a scoop of our Vanilla Bean ice cream and coated with caramel like a candy apple. Profits from this sundae benefit the Global Playground initiative with schools in developing countries like Cambodia and Thailand and Tree House Books, a bookstore in North Philadelphia, committed to growing a life with books and education. So far, report cards on this sundae are all AAAs (for apple, apple, apple, of course)!
