Old-fashioned ice cream parlors may get lost among a sea of Dairy Queens and Coldstone Creameries, but they can still be found around Eugene.
Walking into Old Time Scoops is like stepping into a time machine.
An ice cream parlor in Creswell, Old Time Scoops has a ’50s theme. The walls are decorated with old-fashioned metal ads, autographed photos of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis, and even an authentic Creswell High School varsity letterman sweater from 1953. Music notes and records hang from the ceiling, and Neil Sedaka can be heard proclaiming love for his “Calendar Girl” in the background.
“If you could go back to one era…the ’50s is a happy time,” said Danyelle Glendenning, who owns Old Time Scoops with her husband, Josh Glendenning, “and everyone likes ice cream and candy.”
Itching to start a business, the Glendennings wanted to do something fun and unique for Creswell. Part of their inspiration for Old Time Scoops, which opened in April, was Danyelle’s early years.
“My two favorite movies as a kid were ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Grease,’” she said. “Why not combine the two?”
Just blocks from the University, Prince Puckler’s Ice Cream boasts nearly 40 flavors, ranging from traditional favorites like vanilla, strawberry and cookie dough, to red raspberry cheesecake and Mexican mocha, a combination of chocolate, coffee and cinnamon.
“I’m not into chains, I like the flavors, and the ice cream is better,” said University graduate student Rachel Edford, enjoying a cup of Muddy River, chocolate ice cream mixed with malt powder and caramel.
While many of the big chains get ice cream from large creameries that mass-produce thousands of tubs at once, Prince Puckler’s is 100 percent homemade, much like BJ’s, the popular Florence parlor where the Glendennings get their ice cream.
It’s like comparing Nestlé Toll House to the cookies your grandma makes, Josh Glendenning said.
At Old Time Scoops, where nearly all of the 40-plus flavors are gluten-free and eight are sugar-free, there is also a variety of other treats: frozen bananas dipped in chocolate; specialty drinks combining ice cream, flavored syrups and soda; and lots of candy.
The ice cream parlor doubles as a candy store, stocking such ’50s favorites as Skybars and rock candy, as well as a giant Jelly Belly jelly bean dispenser and a wide assortment of saltwater taffy, among others.
Everything about Old Time Scoops pays homage to the 1950s, from the décor to the selection of candy, right down to the staff.
On weekends, the employees wear bowling shirts and poodle skirts, but for insurance purposes, the line is drawn at roller skates.
“In the ’50s if someone fell, it was an accident,” Josh Glendenning said. “Now, it’s a lawsuit.”
While the interior of the Pearl Street Ice Cream Parlour may not scream “Chang chang changitty chang shoobop” quite as loud, the atmosphere is comparable to that of Old Time Scoops.
With its checkered floor, friendly staff and Formica booths, Pearl Street is the embodiment of an old-style diner.
While there is no shortage of salads, sandwiches and of course, burgers, it’s still an ice cream parlor at heart.
From the classic banana split to a trough of ice cream that’s free to anyone who can finish it, Pearl Street caters to all tastes and sizes, be it the size of an appetite or the size of a group.
With seven flavors of ice cream, three flavors of sherbet, five different toppings, whipped cream and the cherry on top, The Zoo is a gargantuan dessert meant for seven.
Despite being one person short for The Zoo, Erika Noble’s group enjoyed their snack.
Noble and her husband came to town with two other couples for a high school friend’s wedding. The group searched for ice cream on their rental car’s GPS unit and randomly stumbled upon Pearl Street.
“I’m really excited we found some place like this, it’s a lot more fun,” said Curtis Marzolf, before being interrupted by the deafening sound of someone ringing a gong.
A 15-year-old, out for ice cream with the family for his birthday, was then instructed to stand on his chair, as his waitress led the entire restaurant in “Happy Birthday.”
“I don’t think they do this at Baskin-Robbins,” Noble said.